Haggai 2

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

In the seventh [month], in the twenty and first of the month, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:

2 “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,

'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:

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

Who 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?

4 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 Armies.

And 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 [am] with you, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts) —

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

The thing that I covenanted with you, In your coming forth from Egypt, And My Spirit is remaining in your midst, fear not.

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

For thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Yet once more — it [is] a little, And I am shaking the heavens and the earth, And the sea, and the dry land,

7 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 Armies.

And I have shaken all the nations, And they have come [to] the desire of all the nations, And I have filled this house [with] honour, Said Jehovah of Hosts.

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

Mine [is] the silver, and Mine the gold, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts.

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

Greater 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.'

10 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,

On the twenty and fourth of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, hath a word of Jehovah been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying:

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

Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: 'Ask, I pray thee, the priests [of] the law, saying:

12 ‘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.”

Lo, 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.'

13 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.”

And 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.'

14 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.

And Haggai answereth and saith, 'So [is] this people, and so [is] this nation before Me — an affirmation of Jehovah — and so [is] every work of their hands, and that which they bring near there — it is unclean.

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

And now, lay [it], I pray you, to your heart, From this day, and onwards, Before the laying of stone to stone in the temple of Jehovah.

16 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.

From that time [one] 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.

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

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.

18 ‘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.

Set [it], I pray you, to your heart, from this day and onwards, from the twenty and fourth day of the ninth [month], even from the day that the temple of Jehovah hath been founded, set [it] to your heart.

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

Is 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.'

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

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

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

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

22 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.

And 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.

23 In that day, says the LORD of Armies, 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 Armies.”

In 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!