Haggai 2

on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,^b the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:^c “Speak to Zerubbabel^d son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,^e the high priest, and to the remnant^f of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house^g in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?^h But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,ⁱ Joshua son of Jozadak,^j the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with^k you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted^l with you when you came out of Egypt.^m And my Spiritⁿ remains among you. Do not fear.’^o

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while^p I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,^q the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired^r by all nations will come, and I will fill this house^s with glory,^t’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold^u is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory^v of this present house^w will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,^x’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,^a in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests^b what the law says: If a person carries consecrated meat^c in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?^d’ ”

The priests answered, “No.”

Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.^e”

Then Haggai said, “ ‘So it is with this people^f and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer^g there is defiled.

“ ‘Now give careful thought^h to this from this day on—consider how things were before one stone was laidⁱ on another in the Lord’s temple.^j When anyone came to a heap^k of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat^l to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.^m I struck all the work of your handsⁿ with blight,^o mildew and hail,^p yet you did not return^q to me,’ declares the Lord.^r ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought^s to the day when the foundation^t of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate^u and the olive tree have not borne fruit.^v

“ ‘From this day on I will bless^w you.’ ”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

The word of the Lord came to Haggai^a a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:^b “Tell Zerubbabel^c governor of Judah that I am going to shake^d the heavens and the earth. I will overturn^e royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.^f I will overthrow chariots^g and their drivers; horses and their riders^h will fall, each by the sword of his comrade.ⁱ

“ ‘On that day,^j’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant^k Zerubbabel^l son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,^m for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”