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Haggai 2
The Voice
Haggai 2
The Voice
2 On the 21st day of the 7th month, the prophet Haggai gave another message from the Eternal.
Eternal One: 2 Ask Zerubbabel (Shealtiel’s son and Judah’s governor), Joshua (Jehozadak’s son and the high priest), and all those who returned from exile, 3 “Are any of you still living who saw how glorious My first house was before it was destroyed more than 60 years ago? How does this current one look to you now? In comparison to the first, does this one look like nothing? Of course it does.
4 “But don’t be discouraged. Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Joshua (Jehozadak’s son and the high priest). Be strong, all you who once again live in the land. Keep working on it. For I, the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, am with you! 5 Regarding the covenant[a] I made with you when your ancestors came out of Egypt,[b] My Spirit remains with you, living among you. Do not be afraid.
6 “Yet once more[c] I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens,[d] the sea, and the land. 7 I will rattle all the nations, and all that is valuable in the eyes of the world will be willingly brought to My house. I will see to it that it is filled to the brim with My glory.
8 “You see, all the silver and all the gold in this world already belong to Me. 9 You will stand by and watch as the magnificence of this new house will eclipse the magnificence of My first house. And in this new house, I will give you peace.”
God proclaims peace will come upon the Jews, a peace not only for Israel but for all believers in the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6–7).
So says the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.
10 On the 24th day of the 9th month during the 2nd year of King Darius’ reign, the prophet Haggai received a third message from the Eternal One. 11 The Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, told Haggai to ask the priests to explain what the law says about this scenario:
Haggai: 12 If a person is carrying sacred meat, the meat of the sacrifices, in the fold of his garment and that garment comes into contact with some ordinary bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food; then does it transfer its sacredness to the new food?
Priests: No.
Haggai: 13 What about this situation then? If a person who is ritually impure from touching a dead body[e] touches one of these foods, does he transfer the impurity to it?
Priests: Yes, it is now impure.
Haggai: 14 The Eternal One says this is what He sees when He looks over this people and this nation:
“Everything they have done and everything they have brought there as a spiritual offering is impure. 15 Now think carefully about your choices from this point forward. Consider how things were before you even laid the first stone back upon the other to rebuild the house of the Eternal One. 16 How did it turn out for you? Were you able to do it without Me? You came to scoop grain and expected 20 measures, but there were only 10. You came to draw wine from a vat and expected 50 measures, but there were only 20. 17 I crushed you and everything you tried to do under your own power with scorching heat, mildew, and hail; and still you didn’t turn to Me.[f]
18 “From this day forward—from the 24th day of the 9th month, from the foundation of the Eternal One’s house—think carefully and ask yourself, 19 ‘Is there seed left unplanted in the storage barns?’ No. But you must be patient. The grape vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate trees and the olive trees have not borne fruit yet. From this day on, I will bless you.”
20 That same day the prophet Haggai received a second message from the Eternal One.
Eternal One: 21 Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, that I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.[g] 22 I will upend royal thrones and shatter the power of foreign kingdoms. I will crash chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will be killed in confusion and chaos, each by the sword of his countryman. 23 On that day, I will choose you, my servant Zerubbabel (Shealtiel’s son); this I declare. I will make you My choice as a signet ring represents the wishes of its owner because I have chosen you.
So said the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies.
Footnotes
- 2:5 Hebrew manuscripts read, “word.”
- 2:5 Exodus 24:5–8
- 2:6 Hebrew manuscripts add, “and it is small.”
- 2:6 Hebrews 12:26
- 2:13 Hebrew manuscripts read, “soul.”
- 2:17 Meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
- 2:21 Hebrews 12:26
Haggai 2
New International Version
Haggai 2
New International Version
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.”
Blessings for a Defiled People
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,(X) 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(Y) what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat(Z) 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?(AA)’”
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.(AB)”
14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people(AC) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer(AD) there is defiled.
15 “‘Now give careful thought(AE) to this from this day on[b]—consider how things were before one stone was laid(AF) on another in the Lord’s temple.(AG) 16 When anyone came to a heap(AH) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat(AI) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.(AJ) 17 I struck all the work of your hands(AK) with blight,(AL) mildew and hail,(AM) yet you did not return(AN) to me,’ declares the Lord.(AO) 18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought(AP) to the day when the foundation(AQ) 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(AR) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.(AS)
“‘From this day on I will bless(AT) you.’”
Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring
20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai(AU) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:(AV) 21 “Tell Zerubbabel(AW) governor of Judah that I am going to shake(AX) the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn(AY) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.(AZ) I will overthrow chariots(BA) and their drivers; horses and their riders(BB) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.(BC)
23 “‘On that day,(BD)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant(BE) Zerubbabel(BF) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,(BG) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Footnotes
- Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4
- Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past
Haggai 2
King James Version
Haggai 2
King James Version
2 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 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,
3 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?
4 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:
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6 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;
7 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.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.
9 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 Voice (VOICE)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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