1 O n 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,

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

2 “ 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.”’”

“Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that the Lord ’s house should be built.”’”

3 T hen the Word of the Lord came by Haggai the man of God, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

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

“ Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?”

5 N ow the Lord of All says, “Think about your ways!

Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!

6 Y ou 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.”

“You have sown much, and bring in little; You eat, but do not have enough; You drink, but you are not filled with drink; You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; And he who earns wages, Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

7 T he Lord of All says, “Think about your ways!

Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider your ways!

8 G o 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.

Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says the Lord.

9 “ 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.

“ You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says the Lord of hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.

10 S o 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.

Therefore the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

11 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

For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.” The People’s Obedience

12 T hen 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.

Then 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 feared the presence of the Lord.

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

Then Haggai, the Lord ’s messenger, spoke the Lord ’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.”

14 S o 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.

So 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,

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

on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.