The Command to Rebuild the Temple

1 In the second year of Dari′us the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet to Zerub′babel the son of She-al′ti-el, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jeho′zadak, the high priest, ² “Thus says the Lord of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” ³ Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, ⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ⁵ Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. ⁶ You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.

⁷ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. ⁸ Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the Lord.

Herod’s Perplexity

⁷ Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸ by some that Eli′jah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. ⁹ Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.