Haggai 2

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

on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet,

2 Say now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the rest of the people,

telling him to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the rest of the people:

3 Who is there still among you who saw this house in its first glory? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes as nothing?

Who is left among you that saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Doesn’t it seem as though there is nothing there?

4 But now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says the Lord, and get to work: for I am with you, says the Lord of armies:

The Lord says: Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, be strong, all you people of the land. The Lord says: Begin the work, for I am with you. The Lord of hosts says:

5 The agreement which I made with you when you came out of Egypt, and my spirit, are with you still; have no fear.

When your ancestors left Egypt I made a promise to you, and I am still with you. Do not be afraid!

6 For this is what the Lord of armies has said: In a short time I will make a shaking of the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;

The Lord of hosts says: In a little while, I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the land.

7 And I will make a shaking of all the nations, and the desired things of all nations will come: and I will make this house full of my glory, says the Lord of armies.

And I will shake all nations, and the precious things of all nations shall come here; and I will fill this temple with glory. The Lord of hosts says:

8 The silver is mine and the gold is mine, says the Lord of armies.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,

9 The second glory of this house will be greater than the first, says the Lord of armies: and in this place I will give peace, says the Lord of armies.

The later glory of this temple shall be greater than the former. The Lord of hosts says: In this place I will grant prosperity. This is the message of the Lord of hosts.

10 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,

In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet:

11 These are the words of the Lord of armies: Put now a point of law to the priests, saying,

The Lord of hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling:

12 If anyone has some holy flesh folded in the skirt of his robe, will bread or soup or wine or oil or any other food be made holy if touched by his skirt? And the priests answering said, No.

“If one carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and with that garment touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”’ And the priests answered: ‘No.’

13 Then Haggai said, Will any of these be made unclean by the touch of one who is unclean through touching a dead body? And the priests answering said, It will be made unclean.

Then said Haggai, ‘If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?’ And the priests answered: ‘It would be unclean.’

14 Then Haggai said, So is this people and so is this nation before me, says the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and the offering they give there is unclean.

Haggai replied: ‘So is this people and so is this nation before me, the Lord declares, and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

15 And now, give thought, looking back from this day to the time before one stone was put on another in the Temple of the Lord:

Think back from this day, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord.

16 How, when anyone came to a store of twenty measures, there were only ten: when anyone went to the wine-store to get fifty vessels full, there were only twenty.

How were you? When you came to a heap of grain expecting twenty measures, there were only ten; when you came to the wine vat to draw out fifty vessels, there were only twenty.

17 And I sent burning and wasting and a rain of ice-drops on all the works of your hands; but still you were not turned to me, says the Lord.

“I struck all the work of your hands with blasting and blight, with mildew and with hail. Yet you didn’t turn to me,” says the Lord,

18 And now, give thought; looking on from this day, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the time when the base of the Lord's house was put in its place, give thought to it.

“Think back from this day, think! From the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundations of the temple of the Lord were laid, and consider.

19 Is the seed still in the store-house? have the vine and the fig-tree, the pomegranate and the olive-tree, still not given their fruit? from this day I will send my blessing on you.

The seed is in the granary, but the vine and the fig tree and the pomegranate and the olive tree have not yet brought forth fruit. From this day will I bless you.”’

20 And the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

This message from the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

21 Say to Zerubbabel, ruler of Judah, I will make a shaking of the heavens and the earth,

Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I will shake the heavens and the earth;

22 Overturning the power of kingdoms; and I will send destruction on the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; by me war-carriages will be overturned with those who are in them; and the horses and the horsemen will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother.

and 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 come down, each by the sword of his fellow.

23 In that day, says the Lord of armies, I will take you, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says the Lord, and will make you as a jewelled ring: for I have taken you to be mine, says the Lord of armies.

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