Haggai 2:1-23

In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord

came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: 2

“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of

Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and

to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3

‘Who is left among you who saw this house

in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4

Yet now

be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak,

the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am

with you, declares the Lord of hosts, 5

according to the covenant that I made with you

when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6

For thus says

the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the

earth and the sea and the dry land. 7And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures

of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.

8

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. 9

The latter glory

of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place

I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word

of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, 11

“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the

priests about the law: 12

‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and

touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become

holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is

unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?”

The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.”

14Then Haggai answered and

said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and

so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. 15 Now then,

consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of

the Lord,

16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there

were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but

twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew

and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord.

18Consider from this day

onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foun-

dation of the Lord's temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed,

the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But

from this day on I will bless you.”

13

20 The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the

month, 21

“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the

heavens and the earth, 22 and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to

destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and

their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of

his brother. 23 On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel

my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a signet ring, for

I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.”