1 I n the seventh, in the twenty and first of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:

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

2 ` Speak, I pray thee, unto Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and unto Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest, and unto the remnant 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 among you hath been left that saw this house in its former honour? And what are ye seeing it now? Is it not, compared with it, as nothing in your eyes?

‘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 A nd now, be strong, O Zerubbabel, An affirmation of Jehovah, And be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest, And be strong, all ye people of the land, An affirmation of Jehovah, And do ye -- (for I with you, An affirmation of Jehovah 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 T he thing that I covenanted with you, In your coming forth from Egypt, And My Spirit is remaining in your midst, 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 said Jehovah of Hosts: Yet once more -- it a little, And I am shaking the heavens and the earth, And 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 have shaken all the nations, And they have come the desire of all the nations, And I have filled this house honour, Said Jehovah 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 M ine the silver, and Mine the gold, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.

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

9 G reater is the honour of this latter house, Than of the former, said Jehovah of Hosts, And in this place do I give peace, An affirmation of Jehovah 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 and fourth of the ninth, in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of 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 said Jehovah of Hosts: `Ask, I pray thee, the priests the law, saying:

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

12 L o, one doth carry holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and he hath come with his skirt against the bread, or against the pottage, or against the wine, or against the oil, or against any food -- is it holy?' And the priests answer and say, `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 A nd Haggai saith, `If the unclean of body doth come against any of these, is it unclean?' And the priests answer and say, `It is 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 A nd Haggai answereth and saith, `So this people, and so this nation before Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- and so every work of their hands, and that which they bring near there -- it 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, lay, I pray you, to your heart, From this day, and onwards, Before the laying of stone to stone in the temple of Jehovah.

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

16 F rom that time hath come to a heap of twenty, And it hath been ten, He hath come unto the wine-fat to draw out fifty purahs, And it hath been 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 have smitten you with blasting, And with mildew, and with hail -- All the work of your hands, And there is none of you with Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.

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 S et, I pray you, to your heart, from this day and onwards, from the twenty and fourth day of the ninth, even from the day that the temple of Jehovah hath been founded, set to your heart.

‘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 seed yet in the barn? And hitherto the vine and the fig, And the pomegranate, and the olive-tree, Have not borne -- from this day I bless.'

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 there is a word of Jehovah a second time unto Haggai, on the twenty and fourth of the month, saying:

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

21 ` Speak unto Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying: I am shaking the heavens and the earth,

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

22 A nd have overturned the throne of kingdoms, And I have destroyed the strength of kingdoms of the nations, And overturned chariot and its charioteers, And come down have horses and their riders, Each 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 -- an affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, I take thee, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And have set thee as a signet, for on thee I have fixed, An affirmation of Jehovah 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.”