Old Testament · Haggai

Haggai 2

The Coming Glory of God’s House

1In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying: 2Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying: 3Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not, compared to that one, as nothing in your eyes?

4And now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest; and be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD, and work; for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts^a,
5the word that I cut with you when you came out of Egypt, and my spirit^b stands among you; do not fear.

6For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;

7and I will shake all the nations, and the desire of all the nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.
8Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold, declares the LORD of hosts.
9Greater shall be the glory of this latter house than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.

Blessings for a Defiled People

10In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying: 11Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests for Torah, saying: 12If a man^c carries holy flesh^d in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt touches bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

13And Haggai said, If one who is unclean by a dead body^e touches any of these, shall it become unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall become unclean.

14And Haggai answered and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, declares the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

15And now set your heart, please, from this day and onward, before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: 16from that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw out fifty press-measures, there were but twenty. 17I struck you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the work of your hands; yet you did not turn to me, declares the LORD.

18Set your heart, please, from this day and onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the temple of the LORD was founded; set your heart. 19Is the seed yet in the barn? And the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not brought forth. From this day I will bless you.

Zerubbabel the LORD’s Signet Ring

20And the word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying: 21Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: I am shaking the heavens and the earth;

22and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariot and those who ride in it; and the horses and their riders shall come down, each man by the sword of his brother.
23In that day, declares the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant, declares the LORD, and I will make you as a signet; for I have chosen you, declares the LORD of hosts.