CHAPTER 2
On the twenty-first day
of the seventh
month,
the word
of the LORD
came
through
Haggai
the prophet,
saying:
“Speak
to
Zerubbabel
son
of Shealtiel,
governor
of Judah,
and to
Joshua
son
of Jehozadak,
the high
priest,
and also to
the remnant
of the people.
Ask them,
‘Who
is left
among you
who
saw
this
house
in its former
glory?
How
does it look
to you
now?
Does it not
appear to you
like nothing
in comparison?’
But now
take courage,
O Zerubbabel,
declares
the LORD.
Be strong,
O Joshua
son
of Jehozadak,
the high
priest.
And be strong,
all
you people
of the land,
declares
the LORD.
Work!
For
I
am with you,
declares
the LORD
of Hosts.
This is the promise
I made
to you
when you came out
of Egypt.
And My Spirit
remains
among you;
do not
be afraid.”
For
this is what
the LORD
of Hosts
says:
“Once
more,
in a little while,
I
will shake
the heavens
and the earth,
the sea
and the dry land.
I will shake
all
the nations,
and they will come
with all their treasures,
and I will fill
this
house
with glory,
says
the LORD
of Hosts.
The latter
glory
of this
house
will be
greater
than
the former,
says
the LORD
of Hosts.
And in this
place
I will provide
peace,
declares
the LORD
of Hosts.”
On the twenty-fourth day
of the ninth month,
in the second
year
of Darius,
the word
of the LORD
came
to
Haggai
the prophet,
saying,
If
a man
carries
consecrated
meat
in the fold
of his garment,
and it
touches
bread,
stew,
wine,
oil,
or any
other food,
does that item become holy?’”
“No,”
replied
the priests.
So Haggai
asked,
“If
one who is defiled
by contact with a corpse
touches
any
of these,
does it become defiled?”
“Yes, it becomes defiled,”
the priests
answered.
Then Haggai
replied:
“So
is this
people,
and so
is this
nation
before Me,
declares
the LORD,
and so
is every
work
of their hands;
and whatever
they offer
there
is defiled.
Now
consider
carefully
from
this
day
forward:
Before
one stone
was placed
on
another
in the temple
of the LORD,
from that time
when one came
expecting
a heap
of twenty ephahs of grain,
there were
but ten.
When one came
to
the winepress
to draw out
fifty baths,
there were
but twenty.
I struck you—
all
the work
of your hands—
with blight,
mildew,
and hail,
but you did not
turn to Me,
declares
the LORD.
Consider carefully
from
this
day
forward—
from
the twenty-fourth
day
of the ninth month,
the day
the foundation of the LORD’s
temple
was laid—
consider carefully:
Is there still
seed
in the barn?
The vine,
the fig,
the pomegranate,
and the olive
tree
have not
yet
yielded fruit.
But from
this
day on,
I will bless you.”
For the second time that day,
the twenty-fourth
day of the month,
the word
of the LORD
came
to
Haggai,
saying:
I will overturn
royal
thrones
and destroy
the power
of the kingdoms
of the nations.
I will overturn
chariots
and their riders;
horses
and their riders
will fall,
each
by the sword
of his brother.
On that
day,
declares
the LORD
of Hosts,
I will take you,
My servant,
Zerubbabel
son
of Shealtiel,
declares
the LORD,
and I will make you
like My signet ring,
for
I have chosen you,
declares
the LORD
of Hosts.”