Haggai 1

1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet, telling him to speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, of the tribe of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jozadak, the great priest, and say: [a] 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: This people says, ‘The time has not come to build the Lord’s house.’” 3 Then the word of the Lord came through Haggai the prophet: 4 “Is it time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: Think carefully about your ways. 6 You have sown much but brought in little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but never have enough. You put on clothes but do not get warm. Whoever earns wages puts them into a bag full of holes.”

7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Think carefully about your ways. 8 Go up to the mountain, cut timber, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. 9 “You looked for much, but little came. You brought it home, and I blew it away. This happened because my house lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house,” says the Lord Almighty. 10 “That is why the sky will hold back its dew and the earth will hold back its produce. 11 I will bring a sword against the land and the hills, against the grain, the wine, and the olive oil, against everything the earth produces, against people and cattle, and against all the work of their hands.” [b]

12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, of the tribe of Judah, Jeshua son of Jozadak the great priest, and all the remaining people listened to the voice of the Lord their God and to the words of Haggai the prophet, because the Lord their God had sent him to them. And the people stood in awe before the Lord. 13 Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, said to the people, “I am with you,” says the Lord. [c] 14 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, of the tribe of Judah, the spirit of Jeshua son of Jozadak the great priest, and the spirit of all the remaining people. They came and began work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.