The Command to Rebuild the Temple

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,

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.”

Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet,

Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared.

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.

You have looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while you busy yourselves each with his own house.

Then Zerub′babel the son of She-al′ti-el, and Joshua the son of Jeho′zadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him; and the people feared before the Lord.

Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke to the people with the Lord’s message, “I am with you, says the Lord.”

And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerub′babel the son of She-al′ti-el, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jeho′zadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

The Future Glory of the Temple

In the second year of Dari′us the king, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet,

Yet now take courage, O Zerub′babel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jeho′zadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts,

For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;

and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts.

The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.’”

A Rebuke and a Promise

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Dari′us, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet,

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests to decide this question,

Then Haggai said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the Lord; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

Pray now, consider what will come to pass from this day onward. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the temple of the Lord,

I smote you and all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail; yet you did not return to me, says the Lord.

Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider:

God’s Promise to Zerubbabel

The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month,

On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerub′babel my servant, the son of She-al′ti-el, says the Lord, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.”