⁸ Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar^(A) the prince of Judah.

⁶ So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel:^(A) ‘Not^(B) by might nor by power,^(C) but by my Spirit,’^(D) says the Lord Almighty.

⁷ “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground.^(E) Then he will bring out the capstone^(F) to shouts^(G) of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation^(H) of this temple; his hands will also complete it.^(I) Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me^(J) to you.

¹⁰ “Who dares despise the day^(K) of small things,^(L) since the seven eyes^(M) of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone^[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”^(N)

² “Speak to Zerubbabel^(A) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,^[a](B) the high priest, and to the remnant^(C) of the people. Ask them, ³ ‘Who of you is left who saw this house^(D) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?^{(E) 4} But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,^(F) Joshua son of Jozadak,^(G) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with^(H) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.

¹⁴ So the Lord stirred up^(A) the spirit of Zerubbabel^(B) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak,^(C) the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant^(D) of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God,

A Call to Build the House of the Lord

1 In the second year of King Darius,^(A) on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai^(B) to Zerubbabel^(C) son of Shealtiel, governor^(D) of Judah, and to Joshua^(E) son of Jozadak,^[a](F) the high priest:^(G)

¹¹ In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.