Haggai 2:10–23

The Prophet Consults the Priests

¹⁰On the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was emperor, the Lord Almighty spoke again to the prophet Haggai. ¹¹He said, “Ask the priests for a ruling on this question: ¹²Suppose someone takes a piece of consecrated meat from a sacrifice and carries it in a fold of his robe. If he then lets his robe touch any bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or any kind of food at all, will it make that food consecrated also?”

When the question was asked, the priests answered, “No.”

^13*Then Haggai asked, “Suppose someone is defiled because he has touched a dead body. If he then touches any of these foods, will that make them defiled too?”

The priests answered, “Yes.”

¹⁴Then Haggai said, “The Lord says that the same thing applies to the people of this nation and to everything they produce; and so everything they offer on the altar is defiled.”

The Promises His Blessing

¹⁵The Lord says, “Can’t you see what has happened to you? Before you started to rebuild the Temple, ¹⁶you would go to a heap of corn expecting to find two hundred kilogrammes, but there would be only a hundred. You would go to draw a hundred litres of wine from a vat, but find only forty. ¹⁷I sent scorching winds and hail to ruin everything you tried to grow, but still you did not repent. ¹⁸Today is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day that the foundation of the Temple has been completed. See what is going to happen from now on. ¹⁹Although there is no corn left, and the grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced, yet from now on I will bless you.”

The ’s Promise to Zerubbabel

²⁰On that same day, the 24th of the month, the Lord gave Haggai a second message ²¹for Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: “I am about to shake heaven and earth ²²and overthrow kingdoms and end their power. I will overturn chariots and their drivers; the horses will die, and their riders will kill one another. ²³On that day I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, and I will appoint you to rule in my name. You are the one I have chosen.” The Lord Almighty has spoken.