2 1 on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,(A) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(B) 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a](D) the high priest, and to the remnant(E) of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house(F) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?(G) 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,(H) Joshua son of Jozadak,(I) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with(J) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted(K) with you when you came out of Egypt.(L) And my Spirit(M) remains among you. Do not fear.’(N)
6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while(O) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,(P) the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired(Q) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house(R) with glory,(S)’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold(T) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory(U) of this present house(V) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,(W)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Blessings for a Defiled People
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,(X) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests(Y) what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat(Z) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?(AA)’”
The priests answered, “No.”
13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.(AB)”
14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people(AC) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer(AD) there is defiled.
15 “‘Now give careful thought(AE) to this from this day on[b]—consider how things were before one stone was laid(AF) on another in the Lord’s temple.(AG) 16 When anyone came to a heap(AH) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat(AI) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.(AJ) 17 I struck all the work of your hands(AK) with blight,(AL) mildew and hail,(AM) yet you did not return(AN) to me,’ declares the Lord.(AO) 18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought(AP) to the day when the foundation(AQ) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: 19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate(AR) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.(AS)
“‘From this day on I will bless(AT) you.’”
Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring
20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai(AU) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:(AV) 21 “Tell Zerubbabel(AW) governor of Judah that I am going to shake(AX) the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn(AY) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.(AZ) I will overthrow chariots(BA) and their drivers; horses and their riders(BB) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.(BC)
23 “‘On that day,(BD)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant(BE) Zerubbabel(BF) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,(BG) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Footnotes
- Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4
- Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past
Cross references
- Haggai 2:1 : ver 10, 20; S Lev 23:34; Jn 7:37
- Haggai 2:1 : S Ezr 5:1
- Haggai 2:2 : Hag 1:1
- Haggai 2:2 : S 1Ch 6:15
- Haggai 2:2 : S Hag 1:12
- Haggai 2:3 : S Ezr 3:12; S Isa 60:7
- Haggai 2:3 : Zec 4:10
- Haggai 2:4 : S 1Ch 28:20; Zec 8:9; S Eph 6:10
- Haggai 2:4 : S 1Ch 6:15
- Haggai 2:4 : S Ex 33:14; S Nu 14:9; S 2Sa 5:10; Ac 7:9
- Haggai 2:5 : S Ge 6:18
- Haggai 2:5 : S Ex 29:46
- Haggai 2:5 : S Ne 9:20
- Haggai 2:5 : S Ge 15:1; 1Ch 28:20; S Ezr 5:2; Zec 8:13
- Haggai 2:6 : S Isa 10:25
- Haggai 2:6 : S Ex 19:18; S Job 9:6; S Isa 14:16; S Eze 38:19; Heb 12:26*
- Haggai 2:7 : S 1Sa 9:20
- Haggai 2:7 : S Isa 60:7
- Haggai 2:7 : S Ex 16:7; S 29:43; Lk 2:32
- Haggai 2:8 : S 1Ch 29:2
- Haggai 2:9 : S Ps 85:9; S Isa 11:10
- Haggai 2:9 : S Ezr 3:12; S Isa 60:7
- Haggai 2:9 : S Lev 26:6; S Isa 60:17
- Haggai 2:10 : S ver 1; S Hag 1:15
- Haggai 2:11 : S Lev 10:10-11; Dt 17:8-11; 33:8; S Jer 18:18
- Haggai 2:12 : Jer 11:15
- Haggai 2:12 : S Ge 7:2; S Lev 6:27; Mt 23:19
- Haggai 2:13 : Lev 22:4-6; Nu 19:13
- Haggai 2:14 : S Isa 29:13
- Haggai 2:14 : S Ps 51:17; S Isa 1:13
- Haggai 2:15 : S Hag 1:5
- Haggai 2:15 : S Ezr 3:10
- Haggai 2:15 : Ezr 4:24
- Haggai 2:16 : S Ru 3:7
- Haggai 2:16 : S Job 24:11; S Isa 5:2
- Haggai 2:16 : S Dt 28:38; S Isa 5:10; S Hag 1:6
- Haggai 2:17 : Hag 1:11
- Haggai 2:17 : S Dt 28:22
- Haggai 2:17 : S Ex 9:18; Ps 78:48
- Haggai 2:17 : S Isa 9:13; S Jer 3:10
- Haggai 2:17 : S Am 4:6
- Haggai 2:18 : S Hag 1:5
- Haggai 2:18 : S Ezr 3:11
- Haggai 2:19 : S Ex 28:33
- Haggai 2:19 : S Joel 1:12
- Haggai 2:19 : S Ge 12:2; S Lev 25:21; Ps 128:1-6; S Joel 2:14
- Haggai 2:20 : S Ezr 5:1
- Haggai 2:20 : S ver 1; S Hag 1:15
- Haggai 2:21 : S Ezr 5:2
- Haggai 2:21 : S Isa 14:16; Eze 38:19-20
- Haggai 2:22 : S Ge 19:25; S Job 2:13
- Haggai 2:22 : S Da 2:44
- Haggai 2:22 : S Mic 5:10
- Haggai 2:22 : S Ex 15:21
- Haggai 2:22 : S Jdg 7:22; S Eze 38:21
- Haggai 2:23 : Isa 2:11; 10:20; Zec 4:10
- Haggai 2:23 : S Isa 20:3; S Da 9:24-26
- Haggai 2:23 : Mt 1:12
- Haggai 2:23 : S Ge 38:18; S Ex 28:9; 2Co 1:22