Aggaeus 2

1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first [day] of the month, the Lord spoke by Aggaeus the prophet, saying,

In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the LORD’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

2 Speak now to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Juda, and to Jesus the son of Josedec, the high priest, and to all 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 Who [is there] of you that saw this house in her former glory? and how do you now look upon it, as it were nothing before your eyes?

‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing?

4 Yet now be strong, O Zorobabel, says the Lord; and strengthen yourself, O Jesus the high priest, the son of Josedec; and let all the people of the land strengthen themselves, says the Lord, and work, for I am with you, says the Lord Almighty;

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

5 and my Spirit remains in the midst of you; be of good courage.

This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’

6 For thus says the Lord Almighty; Yet once I will shake the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land];

For this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;

7 and I will shake all nations, and the choice [portions] of all the nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord Almighty.

and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Hosts.

8 Mine is the silver, and mine the gold, says the Lord Almighty.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says the LORD of Hosts.

9 For the glory of this house shall be great, the latter more than the former, says the Lord Almighty: and in this place will I give peace, says the Lord Almighty, even peace of soul for a possession to every one that builds, to raise up this temple.

‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of Hosts; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of Hosts.”

10 On the four and twentieth [day] of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Aggaeus the prophet, saying,

In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the LORD’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 Thus says the Lord Almighty; Inquire now of the priest [concerning] the law, saying,

“The LORD of Hosts says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

12 If a man should take holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and the skirt of his garment should touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

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

13 And Aggaeus said, If a defiled person who is unclean by reason of a dead body, touch any of these, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered and said, It shall be defiled.

Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”

14 And Aggaeus answered and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, says the Lord; and so are all the works of their hands: and whoever shall approach them, shall be defiled [because of their early burdens: they shall be pained because of their toils; and you have hated him that reproved in the gates].

Then Haggai answered, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me,’ says the LORD; ‘and so is every work of their hands. That which they offer there is unclean.

15 And now consider, I pray you, from this day and beforetime, before they laid a stone on a stone in the temple of the Lord, what manner of men you were.

Now, please consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid on a stone in the LORD’s temple.

16 When you cast into the corn-bin twenty measures of barley, and there were [only] ten measures of barley: and you went to the vat to draw out fifty measures, and there were [but] twenty.

Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only twenty.

17 I struck you with barrenness, and with blasting, and all the works of your hands with hail; yet you returned not to me, says the Lord.

I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says the LORD.

18 Set your hearts now [to think] from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth [day] of the ninth month, even from the day when the foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid;

‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.

19 consider in your hearts, whether [this] shall be known on the corn-floor, and whether yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive-trees that bear no fruit [are with you]: from this day will I bless [you].

Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven’t produced. From today I will bless you.’”

20 And the word of the Lord came the second time to Aggaeus the prophet, on the four and twentieth [day] of the month, saying,

The LORD’s word came the second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying,

21 Speak to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Juda, saying, I shake the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry [land];

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

22 and I will overthrow the thrones of kings, and I will destroy the power of the kings of the nations; and I will overthrow chariots and riders; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword striving against his brother.

I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother.

23 In that day, says the Lord Almighty, I will take you, O Zorobabel, the son of Salathiel, my servant, says the Lord, and will make you as a seal: for I have chosen you, says the Lord Almighty.

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.”