The Builders Encouraged

On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came by (A)Haggai the prophet, saying, “Speak now to (B)Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, (C)governor of Judah, and to (D)Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the (E)remnant of the people, saying, ‘Who is (F)left among you who saw this [a]temple in its (G)former glory? And how do you see it now? [b]Does it not seem to you like nothing [c]in comparison? But now [d](H)take courage, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord, ‘take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work; for (I)I am with you,’ declares the Lord of armies. ‘As for the [e](J)promise which I [f]made you when you came out of Egypt, [g]My (K)Spirit remains in your midst; (L)do not fear!’ For this is what the Lord of armies says: ‘(M)Once more [h]in a (N)little while, I am going to (O)shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land. I will shake (P)all the nations; and [i]they will come with the (Q)wealth of all nations, and I will (R)fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord of armies. ‘The (S)silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,’ declares the Lord of armies. ‘The latter (T)glory of this house will be greater than the (U)former,’ says the Lord of armies, ‘and in this place I will give (V)peace,’ declares the Lord of armies.”

10 On the (W)twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “The Lord of armies says this: ‘(X)Now ask the priests for a [j]ruling: 12 If someone carries (Y)holy meat in the [k]fold of his garment, and touches bread with [l]this fold, or touches cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?’” And the priests answered, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “(Z)If one who is unclean from a [m]corpse touches any of these things, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai responded and said, “‘(AA)So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. 15 But now, do [n](AB)consider from this day [o]onward: before one (AC)stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord, 16 [p]from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty [q]measures, there would be only twenty. 17 I struck you and every work of your hands with (AD)scorching wind, mildew, and hail; [r]yet you did not come back to Me,’ declares the Lord. 18 ‘Do [s](AE)consider from this day [t]onward, from the (AF)twenty-fourth day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was (AG)founded, [u]consider: 19 Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree, it has not produced fruit. Yet from this day on I will (AH)bless you.’”

20 Then the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the (AI)twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to (AJ)Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to (AK)shake the heavens and the earth. 22 And I will (AL)overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the (AM)power of the kingdoms of the [v]nations; and I will (AN)overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the (AO)horses and their riders will go down, (AP)every one by the sword of another.’ 23 ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord of armies, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like a [w](AQ)signet ring, for (AR)I have chosen you,’” declares the Lord of armies.

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 2:3 Lit house
  2. Haggai 2:3 Lit Is it not in your eyes like
  3. Haggai 2:3 Lit like it
  4. Haggai 2:4 Lit be strong
  5. Haggai 2:5 Lit word
  6. Haggai 2:5 Lit cut with
  7. Haggai 2:5 Or while My Spirit was standing
  8. Haggai 2:6 Lit it is a little
  9. Haggai 2:7 Another reading is the wealth of all nations will come
  10. Haggai 2:11 Lit law; or saying
  11. Haggai 2:12 Lit wing
  12. Haggai 2:12 Lit his wing
  13. Haggai 2:13 Lit soul
  14. Haggai 2:15 Lit set your heart
  15. Haggai 2:15 Or backward
  16. Haggai 2:16 Lit since they were
  17. Haggai 2:16 Lit troughs
  18. Haggai 2:17 As in LXX; MT but you were not to Me
  19. Haggai 2:18 Lit set your heart
  20. Haggai 2:18 Or backward
  21. Haggai 2:18 Lit set your heart
  22. Haggai 2:22 Or Gentiles
  23. Haggai 2:23 Or seal

Encouragement and Promise

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month,(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people: ‘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) 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. 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.’”

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) 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. “The silver and gold belong to me”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies. “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.

Footnotes

  1. 2:9 Or The glory of this latter house
  2. 2:16 Hb obscure