1In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai. He said:
2"Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the rest of the people. Say to them:"
3"Who is left among you who saw this house in its first glory? And how do you see it now? In your eyes, is it not as nothing compared with that?"
4"Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel, says the LORD. Be strong, Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, says the LORD, and work. For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts."
5"This is the word I promised in the covenant I made with you when you came out of Egypt. So my spirit stays among you. Do not be afraid."
6"For this is what the LORD of hosts says: Once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land."
7"And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. And I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts."
8"The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts."
9"The glory of this later house shall be greater than the glory of the first, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, says the LORD of hosts."
10On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai. He said:
11"This is what the LORD of hosts says: Ask the priests about the law. Ask them this:"
12"If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his robe, and with that fold he touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any food, does it become holy?" The priests answered, "No."
13Then Haggai said, "If someone who is unclean from touching a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered, "It shall be unclean."
14Then Haggai answered and said, "So is this people, and so is this nation before me, says the LORD. So is every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean."
15"And now, please think carefully about the time from this day back, before one stone was laid on another in the temple of the LORD."
16"In those days, when someone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When someone came to the winevat to draw out fifty vessels from the press, there were only twenty."
17"I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the work of your hands. Yet you did not turn to me, says the LORD."
18"Think carefully about the time from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid. Think about it."
19"Is the seed still in the barn? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not yet given their fruit. From this day I will bless you."
20The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time, on the twenty-fourth day of the month. He said:
21"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah. Say to him: I will shake the heavens and the earth."
22"I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders shall come down, each one by the sword of his brother."
23"On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will take you, Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and I will make you like a signet ring. For I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts."