Haggai Chapters

Against Those Who Think Only of Their Own House

1 | ¹In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, a word of the Lord was directed to the prophet Haggai for the benefit of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

²“So says the Lord of hosts: This people claim that the time to rebuild the house of the Lord has not yet come. ³Well now, hear what I have to say through the prophet Haggai: ⁴Is this the time for you to live in your well-built houses while this house is a heap of ruins? ⁵Think about your ways: ⁶you have sown much but harvested little; you eat and drink but are not satisfied; you clothe yourselves but still feel cold; and the laborer puts the money he earned in a tattered purse.

⁷Now think about what you must do: ⁸go to the mountain and look for wood to rebuild the house. This will make me happy, and I will feel deeply honored, says the Lord. ⁹You expected much, but it turned out to be very little. I blew away what you had piled up. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, each of you runs home. ¹⁰Therefore the heavens have withheld rain, and the earth has not produced anything. ¹¹I sent drought upon the valley and the hills, upon the wheat and the vines, the oil, and whatever the soil produces; upon people and animals, and any work of your hands.”

¹²Now, when Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, Joshua, the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, ¹³and all the people heard these words of the prophet Haggai, whom the Lord had sent to speak to them, they paid attention to what the Lord had told them; and the people were filled with respect for God.

¹⁴Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, passed on to the people this word of the Lord, “I am with you.” Then the Lord moved the heart of Zerubbabel, Joshua, and all the people, and they began rebuilding the house of the Lord of hosts, their God. ¹⁵It was the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

2 | ¹On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, of the second year of the reign of Darius, this word of the Lord was sent through the prophet Haggai, ²“Give this message to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua, the high priest, and all the people:

The Glory of the New Temple

•  ³Is there left among you one of those who saw this house long ago, in the time of its glory? What do they think of what they see now? Is it not a very little thing? ⁴But I tell you, Zerubbabel, Joshua, and my people: do not be discouraged. Begin to work, for I am with you, says the Lord. ⁵Do not be afraid, for my spirit is in your midst.

⁶Thus says the Lord of hosts, I will shake the heavens, earth, sea, and continents within a short while. ⁷Then I will shake all the nations and bring in the treasures of the whole world. I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord. ⁸I will have as much silver and gold as I wish. ⁹The renown of this temple will be greater than before, and in this place, I will give peace,” says the Lord of hosts.

•  ¹⁰On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord was directed again to the prophet Haggai. ¹¹He should ask the priests to resolve the following case by the law: ¹²“If someone brings consecrated meat wrapped in his cloak, and the edge of his cloak touches bread, cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will all these become consecrated food?” They immediately answered, “No.”

¹³Haggai went on to say, “But if someone becomes unclean by having touched a dead body and then touches any of these things, will all these become unclean?” This time the priests said, “Yes.”

¹⁴Then Haggai addressed them, “So it is with this people and this nation before me, says the Lord, so with everything they do and all they offer here: all is unclean.

¹⁵Pay attention to this from now on: how was it with you before the temple's rebuilding began? ¹⁶You expected twenty sacks of wheat, but there were only ten. You considered drawing out fifty measures of wine, but there were only twenty. ¹⁷I spoiled all your work with blight, mildew, and hail. Yet none returned to me, says the Lord.

¹⁸Pay attention, then, from now on, since the first stone of the Sanctuary of the Lord was laid. ¹⁹See if the wheat, the vine, the fig tree, and the pomegranate go on yielding little! From this day on, I will bless your olive trees.”

Promises to Zerubbabel

•  ²⁰The word of the Lord came again to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the same month, ²¹“Say to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: ²²I will overthrow the thrones of the kings and destroy the power of the nations. I will overturn the chariot and its driver; the horses and their riders shall tumble down. They will kill one another. ²³On that day, I will take you, Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, and for me, you will be like a ring on my finger with my initials on it. For I have chosen you, says the Lord of hosts.”