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Haggai 2
World English Bible
Haggai 2
World English Bible
2 In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing? 4 Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says Yahweh. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says Yahweh, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says Yahweh of Armies. 5 This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ 6 For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; 7 and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says Yahweh of Armies. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says Yahweh of Armies. 9 ‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says Yahweh of Armies; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says Yahweh of Armies.”
10 In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, Yahweh’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 “Yahweh of Armies says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with his fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become holy?’”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?”
The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”
14 Then Haggai answered, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me,’ says Yahweh; ‘and so is every work of their hands. That which they offer there is unclean. 15 Now, please consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid on a stone in Yahweh’s temple. 16 Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only twenty. 17 I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says Yahweh. 18 ‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid, consider it. 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven’t produced. From today I will bless you.’”
20 Yahweh’s word came the second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. 23 In that day, says Yahweh of Armies, I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel,’ says Yahweh, ‘and will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says Yahweh of Armies.”
Haggai 2
Easy-to-Read Version
Haggai 2
Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord Encourages the People
2 On the 21st day of the seventh month, this message from the Lord came to Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the people. Say this: 3 ‘How many of you people look at this Temple and try to compare it to the beautiful Temple that was destroyed? What do you think? Does this Temple seem like nothing when you compare it with the first Temple? 4 But the Lord says, “Zerubbabel, don’t be discouraged!” And the Lord says, “Joshua son of Jehozadak, you are the high priest. Don’t be discouraged! And all you people who live in the land, don’t be discouraged! Continue this work, because I am with you.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
5 “‘I made an agreement with you when you left Egypt, and I have kept my promise. My Spirit is with you, so don’t be afraid!’ 6 This is what the Lord All-Powerful said, ‘In just a little while, I will once again shake things up. I will shake heaven and earth, and I will shake the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake up the nations, and they will come to you with wealth from every nation. And then I will fill this Temple with glory.’ That is what the Lord All-Powerful said! 8 ‘All their silver really belongs to me! And all the gold is mine!’ This is what the Lord All-Powerful said. 9 And the Lord All-Powerful said, ‘This last Temple will be more beautiful than the first one, and I will bring peace to this place.’ Remember, this is what the Lord All-Powerful said.”
Today Begins a Time of Blessing
10 On the 24th day of the ninth month in the second year Darius was king of Persia, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet: 11 “The Lord All-Powerful commands you to ask the priests what the law says about these things: 12 ‘Suppose a man carries some meat in the fold of his clothes. This meat is part of a sacrifice, so it is holy. If his clothes touch some bread, cooked food, wine, oil, or some other food, will the thing the clothes touch become holy?’”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “Whoever touches a dead body will become unclean. Now if they touch anything else, will it also become unclean?”
The priests answered, “Yes, it will become unclean.”
14 Then Haggai said, “This is what the Lord God said: ‘This is also true for the people of this nation. They were not pure and holy before me. So anything they did with their hands and anything they offered at the altar became unclean.
15 “‘Think about what has happened to you. Think about how things were before you began working on the Lord’s Temple. 16 People wanted 20 measures of grain, but there were only 10 measures in the pile. People wanted to get 50 jars of wine from the wine vat, but there were only 20. 17 That was because I punished you. I sent the diseases that killed your plants and the hail that destroyed the things you made with your hands. I did this, but still you did not come to me.’ This is what the Lord said.
18 “The Lord said, ‘Today is the 24th day of the ninth month. You have finished laying the foundation of the Lord’s Temple. So notice what happens from this day forward: 19 Your seed for planting is still in the barn. And look at the vines, the fig trees, and the pomegranate and olive trees. They have not yet produced any fruit. But beginning today, I will bless you.’”
20 Another message from the Lord came to Haggai on the 24th day of the month. This is the message: 21 “Go to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and tell him that I will shake heaven and earth. 22 And I will overthrow many kings and kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of those other people. I will destroy their chariots and their riders. I will defeat their war horses and riders. These armies are friends now, but they will turn against each other and kill each other with swords.” 23 This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: “Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant, I have chosen you. I, the Lord, tell you that at that time I will use you like a signet ring to represent my authority!”
This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.
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
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