1a second message came from the LORD. It came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 21st day of the seventh month. The LORD said,2‘Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and the son of Shealtiel. Also speak to Joshua the high priest, the son of Jozadak. And speak to all my people who are still left alive. Ask them,3“Did any of you who are here see how beautiful this temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It doesn’t look so good, does it?4But be strong, Zerubbabel,” announces the LORD. “Be strong, Joshua. Be strong, all of you people in the land,” announces the LORD. “Start rebuilding. I am with you,” announces the LORD who rules over all.5“That is what I promised you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit continues to be with you. So do not be afraid.” ’6The LORD says, ‘In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth once more. I will also shake the ocean and the dry land.7I will shake all the nations. Then what is desired by all nations will come to my temple. And I will fill the temple with glory,’ says the LORD who rules over all.8‘The silver belongs to me. So does the gold,’ announces the LORD who rules over all.9‘The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was,’ says the LORD. ‘And in this place I will bring peace,’ announces the LORD who rules over all.
The Lord will make his people pure and ‘clean’
10A third message from the LORD came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was king.11The LORD who rules over all speaks. He says, ‘Ask the priests what the law says.12Suppose someone carries holy meat in the clothes they are wearing. And the clothes touch some bread or stew. Or they touch some wine, olive oil or other food. Then do these things also become holy?’ The priests answered, ‘No’.13So Haggai said, ‘Suppose someone is made “unclean” by touching a dead body. And then they touch one of these things. Does it become “unclean” too?’ ‘Yes’, the priests replied. ‘It does.’14Then here is what Haggai said. ‘The LORD announces, “That is how I look at these people and this nation. Anything they do and anything they sacrifice on the altar is ‘unclean’.15‘ “Think carefully about this from now on. Think about how things were before the LORD’s temple was built. This was before one stone was laid on top of another.16People went to get 20 measures of corn. But they could find only 10. They went to where the wine was stored to get 50 measures. But only 20 were there.17You worked very hard to produce all those things. But I struck them with rot, mould and hail. And you still did not return to me,” announces the LORD.18It is the 24th day of the ninth month. From this day on, here is what you should think carefully about. Think about the day when the foundation of my temple was laid.19Are any seeds still left in your barns? Until now, your vines and fig-trees have not produced any fruit. Your pomegranate and olive trees have not produced any either. ‘ “But from this day on I will bless you.” ’
The Lord compares Zerubbabel to his royal ring
20A final message from the LORD came to Haggai. This message also came on the 24th day of the ninth month. The LORD said,21‘Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. Tell him I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.22I will throw down royal thrones. I will smash the power of other kingdoms. I will destroy chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders will fall. They will be killed by the swords of their relatives.23‘ “Zerubbabel, at that time I will pick you,” announces the LORD. “You are my servant,” announces the LORD. “You will be like a ring that has my royal mark on it. I have chosen you,” announces the LORD who rules over all.’
Haggai 2
English Standard Version
The Coming Glory of the Temple
1In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: (Le 23:34; Le 23:36)2“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, (Hag 1:1)3‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? (Ezr 3:12; Hag 2:9; Zec 4:10)4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, (Hag 1:13; Hag 1:14; Hag 2:2; Zec 4:6; Zec 8:9)5according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. (Ex 29:45; Ne 9:20; Zec 8:13; Zec 8:15)6For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. (Hag 2:21; Heb 12:26)7And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. (Isa 60:1)8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. (1Ch 29:14; 1Ch 29:16)9The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’” (Hag 1:8; Zec 6:13; Eph 2:14)
Blessings for a Defiled People
10On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, (Hag 1:1; Hag 2:18; Hag 2:20)11“Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: (Le 10:10)12‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.” (Jer 11:15; Hag 2:14)13Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” (Le 22:4; Le 22:6; Nu 19:22)14Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. (Isa 64:6)15Now then, consider from this day onward.[1] Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, (Hag 1:5)16how did you fare? When[2] one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. (Hag 1:6)17I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord. (De 28:22; Jer 5:3; Am 4:6; Am 4:9; Hag 1:9)18Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider: (Ezr 3:10; Hag 2:10; Hag 2:15; Zec 8:9)19Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.” (Joe 2:14; Zec 8:12)
Zerubbabel Chosen as a Signet
20The word of the Lord came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, (Hag 2:18)21“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, (Hag 1:1; Hag 2:6; Zec 4:6)22and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders. And the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his brother. (Da 2:44; Mic 5:10; Zec 12:9; Zec 14:13; Mt 24:7)23On that day, declares the Lord of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, the son of Shealtiel, declares the Lord, and make you like a[3] signet ring, for I have chosen you, declares the Lord of hosts.” (Isa 43:10; Jer 22:24; Hag 1:1; Hag 2:21)