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It Is Time to Build the Temple

The prophet Haggai spoke the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah [Ezra 2:2; 3:2; Zech. 6:9–14], and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest [C also known as Jeshua; Ezra 2:2; 3:2; 5:2; Zech. 3:1–10]. This message came in the second year that Darius was king [520 bc], on the first day of the sixth month [C August 29; Elul 1 on the Hebrew calendar]:

“This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: ‘The people say the right time has not come to rebuild the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.’”

Then Haggai the prophet spoke the word of the Lord: “Is it right for you to be living in ·fancy [L paneled] houses while ·the Temple [L this house] is still in ruins?”

This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Think about what you have done [Consider your ways]. You have planted much, but you harvest little. You eat, but you do not become full. You drink, but you are still thirsty. You put on clothes, but you are not warm enough. You earn ·money [wages], ·but then you lose it all as if you had [L to] put it into a purse full of holes.”

This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: “·Think about what you have done [Consider your ways]. Go up to the mountains, bring back wood, and build the ·Temple [L house]. Then I will be pleased with it and be honored,” says the Lord. “You look for much, but ·you find little [it came to little]. When you bring it home, I ·destroy it [L blew it away]. Why?” asks the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. “Because you all ·work hard for [are busy with; L run to] your own houses while my house is still in ruins! 10 Because of what you have done, the sky holds back its ·rain [dew] and the ground holds back its crops. 11 I have called for a ·time without rain [drought] on the land, and on the ·mountains [hill country], and on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, the plants which the earth produces, the people, the ·farm animals [livestock], and all the work of your hands.”

12 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest [1:1], and all the ·rest of the people who were left alive [remnant of the people; C those who returned from exile in Babylon] obeyed the [L voice of the] Lord their God and the message from Haggai the prophet, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people ·feared [were in awe of] the Lord.

13 Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “The Lord says, ‘I am with you.’” 14 The Lord stirred up [L the spirit of] Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the ·rest of the people who were left alive [remnant of the people; v. 12]. So they came and worked on the ·Temple [L house] of their God, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts]. 15 They began on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year Darius was king [v. 1].

The Temple Lies in Ruins

In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day, the word of Yahweh came through[a] Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying, “Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘This people says, “The time has not come to rebuild the temple of Yahweh.’” [b] And the word of Yahweh came through[c] Haggai the prophet, saying, Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your houses that have been paneled while this house[d] is desolate?” And so then, thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Consider your ways![e] You have sown much but have harvested little. You have eaten without being satisfied; you have drunk without being satiated;[f] you have worn clothes without being warm; the one who earns wages puts it in a pouch with holes.’[g] Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Consider your ways![h] Go up the mountain and bring wood and build the house[i] so that I may be pleased with it and honored,’ says Yahweh. ‘You have looked for much, and look! It came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?’ declares[j] Yahweh of hosts. ‘Because my house is desolate and you are running each to your own house! 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld the dew and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 I have called for a drought on the land and the hills,[k] on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and wild animals,[l] and on all their labor.’”[m]

12 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people gave heed to the voice of Yahweh their God and to the words of Haggai the prophet, as Yahweh their God had sent him, and the people feared Yahweh.[n] 13 And Haggai the messenger of Yahweh spoke to the people with the message of Yahweh, saying, “‘I am with you’ declares[o] Yahweh.” 14 And Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and did the work on the house of Yahweh of hosts, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 1:1 Literally “through the hand of”
  2. Haggai 1:2 Literally “The time is not coming, the time for the house of Yahweh to be built”
  3. Haggai 1:3 Literally “through the hand of”
  4. Haggai 1:4 That is, the temple
  5. Haggai 1:5 Literally “Set your heart on your ways”
  6. Haggai 1:6 Literally “You have drunk, without becoming drunk”
  7. Haggai 1:6 Literally “a pierced pouch”
  8. Haggai 1:7 Literally “Set your heart on your ways”
  9. Haggai 1:8 That is, the temple
  10. Haggai 1:9 Literally “a declaration of ”
  11. Haggai 1:11 Or mountains
  12. Haggai 1:11 Hebrew “animal”
  13. Haggai 1:11 Literally “all the labor of the hands”
  14. Haggai 1:12 Literally “and the people feared from before Yahweh”
  15. Haggai 1:13 Literally “a declaration of”