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 Haggai the prophet: ¹¹“This is what the Lord of Hosts says: Ask the priests for a ruling. ^g12If 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?” ^h

The priests answered, “No.”

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

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, reflect back from this day: Before one stone was placed on another in the Lord’s temple, ¹⁶what state were you in? ^jWhen someone came to a grain heap of 20 measures, it only amounted to 10; when one came to the winepress to dip 50 measures from the vat, it only amounted to 20. ¹⁷I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, ^kand hail, ^lbut you didn’t turn to Me”—this is the Lord’s declaration. ¹⁸“Consider carefully ^mfrom this day forward; from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid; consider it 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.” ⁿ

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. ^o22I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the Gentile kingdoms. ^pI 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 Hosts—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, My servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like My signet ring, ^qfor I have chosen you.” ^rThis is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.