3 Is there anyone left among you
who beheld this house in its former glory?
How does it appear to you now?
Does it not seem to you
as though it were not even there?
4 But now take courage, Zerubbabel,
says the Lord.
Take courage, Joshua, the high priest,
son of Jehozadak.
Take courage, all you people of the land,
says the Lord.
Begin the work,
for I am with you,
says the Lord of hosts.
5 This is the promise that I made to you
when you came out of Egypt.
My Spirit is present among you.
Do not be afraid.
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts:
In a little while from now
I will shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will flow in.
And I will fill this house with glory,
says the Lord of hosts.
8 Mine is the silver, mine is the gold,
says the Lord of hosts.
9 The glory of this new house
will surpass that of the former,
says the Lord of hosts.
And in this place I will grant peace,
says the Lord of hosts.
What They Offer Me Is Unclean[a]
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of King Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai. 11 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests to give a ruling on this. 12 If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment and he allows the fold to come in contact with bread or broth or wine or oil or food of any kind, will that also become consecrated? The priests answered, “No.”
13 Haggai then asked, “If anyone who has been defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of those, does that become unclean?” The priests replied, “It will become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai continued,
So it is with this people and this nation
in my view, says the Lord.
So also are all the works of their hands;
whatever they offer here is unclean.
15 But now, think back to recent times as you ponder the future. Before one stone was laid upon another in the temple of the Lord, how did you fare?
16 When you came to a heap
of twenty measures of grain,
you would find only ten.
When you came to a wine vat
to draw fifty measures,
you would find only twenty.
17 I struck you and all the products of your toil
with blight and mildew and hail.
Even so, you would not return to me,
says the Lord.
18 Now consider from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. From the day on which the foundations of the temple of the Lord was laid, consider:
19 Previously the seed had not sprouted,
and the vine and the fig tree,
the pomegranate and the olive tree,
had borne no fruit.
From this day forward
I intend to bless you.
Promise to the Descendants of David[b]
20 On the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai: 21 Tell this to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah:
I will shake the heavens and the earth;
22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms
and destroy the power of the kings of the nations.
I will overthrow the chariots and their riders;
both the horses and their riders will fall,
every one of them by the sword of a comrade.
23 On that day,
says the Lord of hosts,
I will take you, Zerubbabel,
my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord,
and I will make you like a signet ring,
for I have chosen you,
says the Lord of hosts.
Footnotes
- Haggai 2:10 This oracle dates from December of 520 B.C.; verses 15-19 should be placed after Hag 1:15a.
- Haggai 2:20 Zerubbabel, who rebuilds the temple, is celebrated as a savior of the people: the Lord is with him as he had been with David, his ancestor (2 Sam 7:12-16). For a moment, the entire Messianic expectation connected with the Davidic dynasty is here summed up; but in fact, the dynastic successor will disappear from the scene, to the advantage of the priesthood. Christ will be presented by the Gospels, though in a much different context, as the Son of David (Mt 9:27; 21:9; Lk 1:27; Mk 12:35; . . .).
On a signet ring, which was used to seal documents, there was a likeness of the owner, who kept it very carefully on a cord around his neck (Gen 38:18). In the eyes of Haggai and Zechariah (see Zec 6:12), then, the descendant of David is God’s representative.