1 I n the second year of Darius the king, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the 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 “ Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘This people says, “The time has not come, even the time for the house of the Lord to 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 the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

4 “ Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?”

“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!

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

6 Y ou have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied; you drink, but there is not enough to become drunk; you put on clothing, but no one is warm enough; and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes.”

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!

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

8 G o up to the mountains, bring wood and rebuild the temple, that I may be pleased with it and 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 “ You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs 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, because of you the sky has withheld its dew and the earth has withheld 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 I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your 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 the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for 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 messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people saying, “‘ I am with you,’ declares the Lord.”

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

14 S o the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked 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 in the second year of Darius the king.

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