Encouragement and Promise

2 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: ² “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people: ³ ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Doesn’t it seem to you like nothing by comparison?^{(B) 4} Even so, be strong, Zerubbabel—this is the Lord’s declaration.^(C) Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land—this is the Lord’s declaration. Work! For I am with you^(D)—the declaration of the Lord of Armies. ⁵ This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt,^(E) and my Spirit is present among you; don’t be afraid.’”

⁶ For the Lord of Armies says this: “Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth,^(F) the sea and the dry land.^{(G) 7} I will shake all the nations so that the treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,”^(H) says the Lord of Armies. ⁸ “The silver and gold belong to me”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. ⁹ “The final glory of this house^[a] will be greater than the first,”^(I) says the Lord of Armies. “I will provide peace in this place”^(J)—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.

From Deprivation to Blessing

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹ “This is what the Lord of Armies says: Ask the priests for a ruling.^{(K) 12} If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does it become holy?” ^(L)

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³ Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” ^(M)

The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”

¹⁴ Then Haggai replied, “So is this people, and so is this nation before me—this is the Lord’s declaration. And so is every work of their hands; even what they offer there is defiled.

¹⁵ “Now from this day on, think carefully: Before one stone was placed on another in the Lord’s temple, ¹⁶ what state were you in?^[b] When someone came to a grain heap of twenty measures, it only amounted to ten; when one came to the winepress to dip fifty measures from the vat, it only amounted to twenty. ¹⁷ I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew,^(N) and hail,^(O) but you didn’t turn to me—this is the Lord’s declaration. ¹⁸ From this day on, think carefully;^(P) from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid; think carefully. ¹⁹ Is there still seed left in the granary? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet produced. But from this day on I will bless you.”^(Q)

Promise to Zerubbabel

²⁰ The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: ²¹ “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.^{(R) 22} I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdoms.^(S) I will overturn chariots and their riders. Horses and their riders will fall, each by his brother’s sword. ²³ On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like my signet ring,^(T) for I have chosen you.”^(U) This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.