Haggai 1:1–9

The Command to Rebuild the Temple

¹In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:^{* 2}“Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.” ³Then the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: ⁴“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?^{* 5}Now therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared.^{* 6}You have sown much and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.^*

⁷“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider how you have fared. ⁸Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the Lord.^{* 9}You have looked for much, but it came to little, and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the Lord of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses.^*