Haggai 2:10–23

FROM DEPRIVATION TO BLESSING

¹⁰On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: ¹¹“This is what the Lord of Armies says: Ask the priests for a ruling.^{c 12}If a man is carrying consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does it become holy?”^d

The priests answered, “No.”

¹³Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?”^e

The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”

¹⁴Then Haggai replied, “So is this people, and so is this nation before me—this is the Lord’s declaration. And so is every work of their hands; even what they offer there is defiled.

¹⁵“Now from this day on, think carefully: Before one stone was placed on another in the Lord’s temple, ¹⁶what state were you in?^B When someone came to a grain heap of twenty measures, it only amounted to ten; when one came to the winepress to dip fifty measures from the vat, it only amounted to twenty. ¹⁷I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew,^f and hail,^g but you didn’t turn to me—this is the Lord’s declaration. ¹⁸From this day on, think carefully;^h from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid; think carefully. ¹⁹Is there still seed left in the granary? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet produced. But from this day on I will bless you.”ⁱ

PROMISE TO ZERUBBABEL

²⁰The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: ²¹“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.^{j 22}I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdoms.^k I will overturn chariots and their riders. Horses and their riders will fall, each by his brother’s sword. ²³On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Armies—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like my signet ring,^l for I have chosen you.”^m This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.