1On the twenty-firstof the seventhmonth,the wordof the LORDcameby Haggaithe prophetsaying,2"Speaknowto Zerubbabelthe sonof Shealtiel,governorof Judah,and to Joshuathe sonof Jehozadak,the highpriest,and to the remnantof the peoplesaying,3Whois leftamong you whosawthistemplein its formerglory?And howdo you seeit now?Does it not seemto you like nothingin comparison?4But nowtakecourage,Zerubbabel,'declaresthe LORD,'takecouragealso, Joshuasonof Jehozadak,the highpriest,and allyou peopleof the landtakecourage,'declaresthe LORD,'and work;for I am with you,' declaresthe LORDof hosts.5As for the promisewhichI madeyou when you cameout of Egypt,My Spiritis abidingin your midst;do not fear!'6"For thussaysthe LORDof hosts,Oncemorein a littlewhile,I am going to shakethe heavensand the earth,the seaalso and the dryland.7I will shakeallthe nations;and they will comewith the wealthof allnations,and I will fillthishousewith glory,'saysthe LORDof hosts.8The silveris Mine and the goldis Mine,' declaresthe LORDof hosts.9The lattergloryof thishousewill be greaterthanthe former,'saysthe LORDof hosts,'and in thisplaceI will givepeace,'declaresthe LORDof hosts."
10On the twenty-fourthof the ninth[month], in the secondyearof Darius,the wordof the LORDcameto Haggaithe prophet,saying,11"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,Asknowthe priests[for] a ruling:12Ifa mancarriesholymeatin the foldof his garment,and touchesbreadwith this fold,or cookedfood,wine,oil,or any[other] food,will it becomeholy?'"And the priestsanswered,"No."13Then Haggaisaid,"Ifone who is uncleanfrom a corpsetouchesanyof these,will [the latter] becomeunclean?"And the priestsanswered,"It will becomeunclean."14Then Haggaisaid,"'Sois thispeople.And sois thisnationbeforeMe,' declaresthe LORD,'and sois everyworkof their hands;and whatthey offerthereis unclean.15But now,do considerfrom thisdayonward:beforeone stonewas placedon anotherin the templeof the LORD,16from that time[when] one cameto a [grain] heapof twenty[measures], there would be only ten;and [when] one cameto the winevatto drawfiftymeasures,there would be [only] twenty.17I smoteyou [and] everyworkof your handswith blastingwind,mildewand hail;yet you [did] not [come] [back] to Me,' declaresthe LORD.18Do considerfrom thisdayonward,from the twenty-fourthdayof the ninth[month]; from the daywhenthe templeof the LORDwas founded,consider:19Is the seedstillin the barn?Evenincludingthe vine,the figtree,the pomegranateand the olivetree,it has not borne[fruit]. Yet from thisdayon I will bless[you].'"
20Then the wordof the LORDcamea secondtimeto Haggaion the twenty-fourth[day] of the month,saying,21"Speakto Zerubbabelgovernorof Judah,saying,I am going to shakethe heavensand the earth.22I will overthrowthe thronesof kingdomsand destroythe powerof the kingdomsof the nations;and I will overthrowthe chariotsand their riders,and the horsesand their riderswill godown,everyoneby the swordof another.'23On that day,'declaresthe LORDof hosts,'I will takeyou, Zerubbabel,sonof Shealtiel,My servant,'declaresthe LORD,'and I will makeyou like a signet[ring], for I have chosenyou,'" declaresthe LORDof hosts.
