Haggai 2

1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord spoke through Haggai the prophet: [a] 2 “Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, of the tribe of Judah, to Jeshua son of Jozadak the great priest, and to all the remaining people. Say to them: 3 ‘Who among you saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing before your eyes? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord. ‘Be strong, Jeshua son of Jozadak, the great priest. Let all the people of the land be strong,’ says the Lord, ‘and work, because I am with you,’ says the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘My Spirit stands among you. Take courage. 6 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: Once more I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the choice things of all the nations will come. I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The later glory of this house will be greater than the first,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘In this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘peace of soul as a possession for everyone who builds to raise up this temple.’” [b]

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet: 11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: Ask the priests about the law. 12 If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and the fold touches bread, stew, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that food become holy?” The priests answered, “No.” 13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a dead body touches any of these things, will it become defiled?” The priests answered, “It will become defiled.” 14 Then Haggai answered, “So it is with this people and this nation before me,” says the Lord, “and so it is with every work of their hands. Whoever approaches there becomes defiled because of their morning offerings. They will suffer because of their labors, and you hated those who corrected you at the gates. [c]

15 Now think carefully from this day onward, before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. 16 What were you like then? When you put forty dry gallons of barley into the bin, only twenty remained. When you went to the wine vat to draw three hundred gallons, there were only one hundred twenty. [d] 17 I struck you with barrenness, blight, and hail in all the work of your hands, yet you did not turn back to me,” says the Lord. 18 “Think carefully from this day onward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Fix it in your hearts: 19 Will anything still be recognized on the threshing floor? The vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive trees have not yet borne fruit. But from this day I will bless you.”

20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, of the tribe of Judah. Say: I am shaking the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land. 22 I will overturn the thrones of kings and destroy the power of the kings of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and riders will fall, each by his brother’s sword. 23 On that day,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant,” says the Lord, “and make you like a seal, because I have chosen you,” says the Lord Almighty.