1 I n the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, in the second year of Darius king, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying,

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying:

2 S peak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remainder of the people, saying,

“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying:

3 W ho is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Is not this in your sight as nothing in comparison to that?

‘Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? In comparison with it, is this not in your eyes as nothing?

4 Y et now be strong, alert, and courageous, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; be strong, alert, and courageous, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, alert, and courageous, all you people of the land, says the Lord, and work! For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts.

Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord; ‘and be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the Lord, ‘and work; for I am with you,’ says the Lord of hosts.

5 A ccording to the promise that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit stands and abides in the midst of you; fear not.

‘ According to the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, so My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!’

6 F or thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake and make tremble the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;

“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land;

7 A nd I will shake all nations and the desire and the precious things of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.

and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.

8 T he silver is Mine and the gold is Mine, says the Lord of hosts.

‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts.

9 T he latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place will I give peace and prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” The People Are Defiled

10 O n the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 T hus says the Lord of hosts: Ask now the priests to decide this question of law:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying,

12 I f one carries in the skirt of his garment flesh that is holy, and with his skirt or the flaps of his garment he touches bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does what he touches become holy ? And the priests answered, No!

“If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”’” Then the priests answered and said, “No.”

13 T hen said Haggai, If one who is unclean because he has come in contact with a dead body should touch any of these articles of food, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered, It shall be unclean.

And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”

14 T hen answered Haggai, So is this people and so is this nation before Me, says the Lord; and so is every work of their hands, and what they offer there is unclean.

Then Haggai answered and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. Promised Blessing

15 A nd now, I pray you, consider what will happen from this day onward. Since the time before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord, how have you fared?

‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the Lord —

16 T hrough all that time when one has gone expecting to find a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when he has gone to the wine vat to draw out fifty bucketfuls from the press, there were only twenty.

since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty.

17 I smote you with blight and with mildew and with hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you returned not nor were converted to Me, says the Lord.

I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the Lord.

18 C onsider, I pray you, from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider this:

‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord ’s temple was laid—consider it:

19 I s the harvested grain any longer in the barn? As to the grapevine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree—they have not yet borne. From this day on I will bless you.

Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you. ’” Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet

20 A nd again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

And again the word of the Lord came to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

21 S peak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: ‘I will shake heaven and earth.

22 A nd I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them, and the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother.

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I will destroy the strength of the Gentile kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots And those who ride in them; The horses and their riders shall come down, Every one by the sword of his brother.

23 I n that day, says the Lord of hosts, will I take you, O Zerubbabel, My servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and will make you My signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.

‘In that day,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel My servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says the Lord, ‘and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you,’ says the Lord of hosts.”