⁹ You are under a curse^(A)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me.

Curses for Disobedience

¹⁵ However, if you do not obey^(A) the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today,^(B) all these curses will come on you and overtake you:^(C)

¹⁴ Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people^(A) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer^(B) there is defiled.

¹⁵ “‘Now give careful thought^(C) to this from this day on^[a]—consider how things were before one stone was laid^(D) on another in the Lord’s temple.^{(E) 16} When anyone came to a heap^(F) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat^(G) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.^{(H) 17} I struck all the work of your hands^(I) with blight,^(J) mildew and hail,^(K) yet you did not return^(L) to me,’ declares the Lord.^(M)

² If you do not listen,^(A) and if you do not resolve to honor^(B) my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse^(C) on you, and I will curse your blessings.^(D) Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

⁶ You have planted much, but harvested little.^(A) You eat, but never have enough.^(B) You drink, but never have your fill.^(C) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,^(D) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

⁷ This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought^(E) to your ways. ⁸ Go up into the mountains and bring down timber^(F) and build my house, so that I may take pleasure^(G) in it and be honored,^(H)” says the Lord. ⁹ “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.^(I) What you brought home, I blew^(J) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,^(K) while each of you is busy with your own house. ¹⁰ Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld^(L) their dew^(M) and the earth its crops.^{(N) 11} I called for a drought^(O) on the fields and the mountains,^(P) on the grain, the new wine,^(Q) the olive oil^(R) and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.^(S)”

²⁰ When Achan son of Zerah was unfaithful in regard to the devoted things,^[a](A) did not wrath^(B) come on the whole community^(C) of Israel? He was not the only one who died for his sin.’”^(D)

¹² That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies;^(A) they turn their backs^(B) and run^(C) because they have been made liable to destruction.^(D) I will not be with you anymore^(E) unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

¹³ “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves^(F) in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.