Haggai
Chapter 2
1 In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day, God’s message came through the prophet Haggai, saying,
2 Talk to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, the leader of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the rest of the people, and say,
3 Who among you saw this temple when it was first built? And what do you think of it now? Doesn’t it seem like nothing compared to before?
4 Be strong now, Zerubbabel, says God; and be strong, Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, says God, and work: because I am with you, says God.
5 Based on the promise I made to you when you left Egypt, my spirit stays with you: do not be afraid.
6 God says: After a little while, I will shake the sky, the earth, the sea, and the land.
7 I will shake all nations, and what every nation wants will come. I will fill this house with glory, says God.
8 The silver and the gold belong to me, says God.
9 The splendor of this new house will be greater than the old one, says God, and here I will bring peace, says God.
10 On the 24th day of the ninth month, in the second year of King Darius, God’s message came through the prophet Haggai, saying,
11 God says; Now ask the priests about the law and tell them,
12 If someone carries sacred meat in their clothes and their clothes touch bread, soup, wine, oil, or any food, will it become sacred? The priests said no.
13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone unclean from a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” And the priests replied, “It will become unclean.”
14 Haggai replied, “This is how these people and this nation are before God, and so is everything they do; even their offerings are unclean.”
15 Please think about this day and the past, before any stone was set on another in God’s temple.
16 Since that time, when someone went to a pile of twenty measures, there were only ten; when someone went to the wine vat to get fifty containers, there were only twenty.
17 I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail, which ruined your work; but you still didn’t turn to me, says God.
18 Think about this day and from now on, from the 24th day of the ninth month, since the day the foundation of God’s temple was set, think about it.
19 Is the seed still in the barn? Yes, the grapevine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree haven’t produced fruit yet. But from today, I will bless you.
20 Once more, on the twenty-fourth day of the month, God’s message came to Haggai.
21 Tell Zerubbabel, the leader of Judah, I will shake the sky and the ground.
22 I will topple the rulers of nations, destroy the power of foreign kingdoms, overturn their war chariots and riders; the horses and riders will fall, each killed by his comrade’s sword.
23 On that day, says God, I will choose you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, says God, and I will make you like a seal ring, because I have chosen you, says God.