A Call to Build the House of the Lord

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)

This is what the Lord Almighty(H) says: “These people(I) say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.(J)’”

Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(K) “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses,(L) while this house remains a ruin?(M)

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(N) to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little.(O) You eat, but never have enough.(P) You drink, but never have your fill.(Q) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,(R) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(S) to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber(T) and build my house, so that I may take pleasure(U) in it and be honored,(V)” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.(W) What you brought home, I blew(X) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,(Y) while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld(Z) their dew(AA) and the earth its crops.(AB) 11 I called for a drought(AC) on the fields and the mountains,(AD) on the grain, the new wine,(AE) the olive oil(AF) and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.(AG)

12 Then Zerubbabel(AH) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant(AI) of the people obeyed(AJ) the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared(AK) the Lord.

13 Then Haggai,(AL) the Lord’s messenger,(AM) gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with(AN) you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up(AO) the spirit of Zerubbabel(AP) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak,(AQ) the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant(AR) of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.(AS)

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius,(AT) on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,(AU) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(AV) “Speak to Zerubbabel(AW) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[b](AX) the high priest, and to the remnant(AY) of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house(AZ) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?(BA) But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,(BB) Joshua son of Jozadak,(BC) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with(BD) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted(BE) with you when you came out of Egypt.(BF) And my Spirit(BG) remains among you. Do not fear.’(BH)

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while(BI) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,(BJ) the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired(BK) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house(BL) with glory,(BM)’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold(BN) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory(BO) of this present house(BP) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,(BQ)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,(BR) 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(BS) what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat(BT) 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?(BU)’”

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.(BV)

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

15 “‘Now give careful thought(BY) to this from this day on[c]—consider how things were before one stone was laid(BZ) on another in the Lord’s temple.(CA) 16 When anyone came to a heap(CB) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat(CC) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.(CD) 17 I struck all the work of your hands(CE) with blight,(CF) mildew and hail,(CG) yet you did not return(CH) to me,’ declares the Lord.(CI) 18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought(CJ) to the day when the foundation(CK) 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(CL) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.(CM)

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

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai(CO) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:(CP) 21 “Tell Zerubbabel(CQ) governor of Judah that I am going to shake(CR) the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn(CS) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.(CT) I will overthrow chariots(CU) and their drivers; horses and their riders(CV) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.(CW)

23 “‘On that day,(CX)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant(CY) Zerubbabel(CZ) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,(DA) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 1:1 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verses 12 and 14
  2. Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4
  3. Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.

Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.

13 Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.

14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying,

Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts:

According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.

10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

11 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the Lord:

16 Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.

17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord.

18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider it.

19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

20 And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

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

22 And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

23 In that day, saith the Lord of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the Lord, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the Lord of hosts.

The challenge to rebuild

The Lord’s word came through Haggai the prophet in the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month on the first day of the month, to Judah’s governor Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, and to the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son:

This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says:
    These people say, “The time hasn’t come,
        the time to rebuild the Lord’s house.”

Then the Lord’s word came through Haggai the prophet:

        Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses
            while this house lies in ruins?
So now, this is what the Lord of heavenly forces says:
    Take your ways to heart.
    You have sown much, but it has brought little.
    You eat, but there’s not enough to satisfy.
    You drink, but not enough to get drunk.
    There is clothing, but not enough to keep warm.
    Anyone earning wages puts those wages into a bag with holes.

This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says:
    Take your ways to heart.
    Go up to the highlands and bring back wood.
    Rebuild the temple so that I may enjoy it
        and that I may be honored, says the Lord.
You expect a surplus, but look how it shrinks.
You bring it home, and I blow it away, says the Lord of heavenly forces,
        because my house lies in ruins.
But all of you hurry to your own houses.
10 Therefore, the skies above you have withheld the dew,
        and the earth has withheld its produce because of you.
11 I have called for drought on the earth,
        on the mountains, on the grain,
        on the wine, on the olive oil,
        on that which comes forth from the fertile ground,
        on humanity, on beasts,
        and upon everything that handles produce.

12 Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, and the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son, along with all who remained among the people, listened to the voice of the Lord God and to the words of Haggai the prophet because the Lord their God sent him. Then the people feared the Lord.

13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the Lord’s message to the people:

I am with you, says the Lord.

14 The Lord moved the spirit of Judah’s governor Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, and the spirit of the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son, and the spirit of all the rest of the people. Then they came and did work on the house of the Lord of heavenly forces, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.

Encouraging the people

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord’s word came through Haggai the prophet: Say to Judah’s governor Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, and to the chief priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son, and to the rest of the people:

Who among you is left who saw this house in its former glory?
How does it look to you now?
    Doesn’t it appear as nothing to you?
So now, be strong, Zerubbabel, says the Lord.
Be strong, High Priest Joshua, Jehozadak’s son,
        and be strong, all you people of the land, says the Lord.
Work, for I am with you, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
As with our agreement when you came out of Egypt,
        my spirit stands in your midst.
Don’t fear.
This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says:
In just a little while, I will make the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land quake.
I will make all the nations quake.
        The wealth of all the nations will come.
I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
The silver and the gold belong to me, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
This house will be more glorious than its predecessor, says the Lord of heavenly forces.
        I will provide prosperity in this place, says the Lord of heavenly forces.

Cleansing the work

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in the second year of Darius, the Lord’s word came to Haggai the prophet:

11 This is what the Lord of heavenly forces says:
Go ahead and ask the priests for a ruling:
12         “If someone lifts holy meat into the hem of one’s garment and that hem touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any kind of food, will it be made holy?”
And the priests responded, “No.”
13 Haggai said,
        “If an unclean person touches any of these things, will it become unclean?”
        And the priests responded, “It will be unclean.”
14 Then Haggai responded:
        Thus has this people and this nation become to me, says the Lord,
            and everything that they do with their hands.
        Whatever they offer is unclean.
15 So now, take it to heart from this day forward.
        Before stone was placed on stone in the Lord’s temple,
16     when one came to the granary for twenty measures,
        there were only ten;
    and when one came to the wine vat for fifty measures,
        there were only twenty.
17     I struck you—everything you do with your hands—
            with blight and mildew and hail;
            but you didn’t return to me.[a]
18 So take it to heart from this day forward,
        from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month.
        Take it to heart from the day when the foundation for the Lord’s temple was laid.
19 Is the seed yet in the granary—
        or the vine, the fig tree, or the pomegranate—
            or has the olive tree not borne fruit?
From this day forward, I will bless you.

Royal expectations

20 And the Lord’s word came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth of the month, saying:

21 Speak to Judah’s governor Zerubbabel:
I am about to make the heavens and the earth quake.
22         I will overthrow the thrones of the kingdoms;
            I will destroy the strength of the nations.[b]
        I will overthrow chariot and rider;
            horses and riders will fall.
        Each one will fall by the sword of his companion.
23 On that day, says the Lord of heavenly forces:
I will take you, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel’s son, my servant, says the Lord;
        I will make you like a signet ring
            because I have chosen you, says the Lord of heavenly forces.

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 2:17 Or but you weren’t with me.
  2. Haggai 2:22 Or of the kingdoms of the nations