1 I n the second year of Darius king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by means of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai. The Word was for Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, saying,

2 T hus says the Lord of hosts: These people say, The time is not yet come that the Lord’s house should be rebuilt.

“This is what the Lord of All says: ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come to build again the house of the Lord.”’”

3 T hen came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Then the Word of the Lord came by Haggai the man of God, saying,

4 I s it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins?

“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your houses with walls covered with wood, while this house lies waste?”

5 N ow therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways and set your mind on what has come to you.

Now the Lord of All says, “Think about your ways!

6 Y ou have sown much, but you have reaped little; you eat, but you do not have enough; you drink, but you do not have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages has earned them to put them in a bag with holes in it.

You have planted much, but gather little. You eat, but there is not enough to fill you. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothing, but no one is warm enough. You earn money, but put it into a bag with holes.”

7 T hus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways (your previous and present conduct) and how you have fared.

The Lord of All says, “Think about your ways!

8 G o up to the hill country and bring lumber and rebuild house, and I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified, says the Lord.

Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build again the house of God, that I may be pleased with it and worshiped as I should be,” says the Lord.

9 Y ou looked for much, and behold, it came to little; and even when you brought that home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because of My house, which lies waste while you yourselves run each man to his own house.

“You look for much, but it turns out to be little. When you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” says the Lord of All. “Because My house lies waste, while each of you takes care of his own house.

10 T herefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its produce.

So the sky has held back the water on the grass in the early morning because of you, and the earth has held back its food.

11 A nd I have called for a drought upon the land and the hill country, upon the grain, the fresh wine, the oil, upon what the ground brings forth, upon men and cattle, and upon all the toil of hands.

I have called for a time without rain on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on the vegetables, on men, on cattle, and on all the work of your hands.” The People Obey

12 T hen Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, listened to and obeyed the voice of the Lord their God the words of Haggai the prophet, since the Lord their God had sent him, and the people feared and turned to the Lord.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and all the rest of the people of Israel, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God. They obeyed the words of Haggai the man of God, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people honored the Lord with fear.

13 T hen Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people saying, I am with you, says the Lord.

Then Haggai the man of God spoke for the Lord to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says the Lord.

14 A nd the Lord aroused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, so that they came and labored on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

So the Lord moved the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, and the spirit of all the rest of the people. And they came and worked on the house of the Lord of All, their God.

15 O n the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

This was on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.