³ At that time Tattenai,^(A) governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai^(B) and their associates went to them and asked, “Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and to finish it?”^{(C) 4} They^[a] also asked, “What are the names of those who are constructing this building?” ⁵ But the eye of their God^(D) was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

⁶ This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. ⁷ The report they sent him read as follows:

2 ¹ on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:^{(B) 2} “Speak to Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,^[a](D) the high priest, and to the remnant^(E) of the people. Ask them, ³ ‘Who of you is left who saw this house^(F) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?^{(G) 4} But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,^(H) Joshua son of Jozadak,^(I) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with^(J) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁵ ‘This is what I covenanted^(K) with you when you came out of Egypt.^(L) And my Spirit^(M) remains among you. Do not fear.’^(N)

⁶ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while^(O) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,^(P) the sea and the dry land. ⁷ I will shake all nations, and what is desired^(Q) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house^(R) with glory,^(S)’ says the Lord Almighty. ⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold^(T) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ⁹ ‘The glory^(U) of this present house^(V) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,^(W)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

A Call to Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,^(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah^(B) son of Berekiah,^(C) the son of Iddo:^(D)

² “The Lord was very angry^(E) with your ancestors. ³ Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return^(F) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’^(G) says the Lord Almighty. ⁴ Do not be like your ancestors,^(H) to whom the earlier prophets^(I) proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways^(J) and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me,^(K) declares the Lord.^{(L) 5} Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ But did not my words^(M) and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?^(N)

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve,^(O) just as he determined to do.’”^(P)

Blessings for a Defiled People

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,^(A) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests^(B) what the law says: ¹² If someone carries consecrated meat^(C) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?^(D)’”

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³ Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.^(E)”

¹⁴ Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people^(F) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer^(G) there is defiled.

¹⁵ “‘Now give careful thought^(H) to this from this day on^[a]—consider how things were before one stone was laid^(I) on another in the Lord’s temple.^{(J) 16} When anyone came to a heap^(K) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat^(L) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.^{(M) 17} I struck all the work of your hands^(N) with blight,^(O) mildew and hail,^(P) yet you did not return^(Q) to me,’ declares the Lord.^{(R) 18} ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought^(S) to the day when the foundation^(T) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: ¹⁹ Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate^(U) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.^(V)

“‘From this day on I will bless^(W) you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai^(X) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:^{(Y) 21} “Tell Zerubbabel^(Z) governor of Judah that I am going to shake^(AA) the heavens and the earth. ²² I will overturn^(AB) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.^(AC) I will overthrow chariots^(AD) and their drivers; horses and their riders^(AE) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.^(AF)

²³ “‘On that day,^(AG)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant^(AH) Zerubbabel^(AI) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,^(AJ) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

The Decree of Darius

6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives^(A) stored in the treasury at Babylon. ² A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

¹³ Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates^(Q) carried it out with diligence. ¹⁴ So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching^(R) of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus,^(S) Darius^(T) and Artaxerxes,^(U) kings of Persia.