2 ¹ on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:^{(B) 2} “Speak to Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,^[a](D) the high priest, and to the remnant^(E) of the people. Ask them, ³ ‘Who of you is left who saw this house^(F) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?^{(G) 4} But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,^(H) Joshua son of Jozadak,^(I) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with^(J) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁵ ‘This is what I covenanted^(K) with you when you came out of Egypt.^(L) And my Spirit^(M) remains among you. Do not fear.’^(N)

⁶ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while^(O) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,^(P) the sea and the dry land. ⁷ I will shake all nations, and what is desired^(Q) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house^(R) with glory,^(S)’ says the Lord Almighty. ⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold^(T) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁹ ‘The glory^(U) of this present house^(V) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,^(W)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,^(X) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests^(Y) what the law says: ¹² If someone carries consecrated meat^(Z) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?^(AA)’”

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³ Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.^(AB)”

¹⁴ Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people^(AC) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer^(AD) there is defiled.

¹⁵ “‘Now give careful thought^(AE) to this from this day on^[b]—consider how things were before one stone was laid^(AF) on another in the Lord’s temple.^{(AG) 16} When anyone came to a heap^(AH) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat^(AI) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.^{(AJ) 17} I struck all the work of your hands^(AK) with blight,^(AL) mildew and hail,^(AM) yet you did not return^(AN) to me,’ declares the Lord.^{(AO) 18} ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought^(AP) to the day when the foundation^(AQ) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: ¹⁹ Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate^(AR) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.^(AS)

“‘From this day on I will bless^(AT) you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai^(AU) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:^{(AV) 21} “Tell Zerubbabel^(AW) governor of Judah that I am going to shake^(AX) the heavens and the earth. ²² I will overturn^(AY) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.^(AZ) I will overthrow chariots^(BA) and their drivers; horses and their riders^(BB) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.^(BC)

²³ “‘On that day,^(BD)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant^(BE) Zerubbabel^(BF) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,^(BG) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”