Haggai 2

In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,

1It was the twenty-first day of the seventh month. God gave a message to Haggai. Haggai was a prophet, someone who told people what God said.

2Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

2God said, "Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the ruler of Judah. Speak to Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, the chief priest. Speak to all the people who are left."

3Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

3"Ask them: Who here saw this house, God's temple, when it was grand long ago? How does it look to you now? Does it look like nothing next to that?"

4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:

4"But now be strong, Zerubbabel," says the LORD. "Be strong, Joshua the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land. Get to work. I am with you," says the LORD, the God who leads the armies of heaven.

5According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

5"This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit is still here with you. Do not be afraid."

6For thus saith 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;

6The LORD of heaven's armies says this: "In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth. I will shake the sea and the dry land."

7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

7"I will shake all the nations. They will come and bring their treasures. I will fill this house with glory, my shining greatness," says the LORD of heaven's armies.

8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

8"All the silver is mine. All the gold is mine," says the LORD of heaven's armies.

9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

9"Later, this house will be greater than it ever was before," says the LORD of heaven's armies. "And in this place I will give peace," says the LORD of heaven's armies.

10In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying,

10It was the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year that Darius was king. God gave another message to Haggai the prophet.

11Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

11The LORD of heaven's armies said, "Ask the priests, the men who serve God at the temple, what the law says."

12If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

12"Say to them: A man carries meat given to God in a fold of his coat. The cloth then touches bread, soup, wine, oil, or any food. Does that food become holy?" The priests answered, "No."

NoteIn the King James Bible, "meat" means food of any kind, not just meat from an animal. Here "holy flesh" is meat from an animal offered to God.

13Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

13Then Haggai asked, "What if a man has touched a dead body? That makes him unclean. If he touches these foods, do they become unclean?" The priests answered, "Yes, they become unclean."

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

14Then Haggai said, "The LORD says these people and this nation are like that. Everything they make with their hands is unclean. What they bring to me there is unclean too."

15And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:

15"Now please think carefully about the time before today. Think back to before one stone was set on another in the LORD's temple."

16Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.

16"In those days a man came to a grain pile hoping for twenty baskets. He found only ten. A man came to the winepress for fifty jars of wine. He found only twenty."

NoteThe old words are "twenty measures" and "fifty vessels." These were set amounts for grain and wine, about the size of a large basket or a big jar.

17I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.

17"I made your crops dry up and turn moldy. I sent hail on all your hard work. Still you did not turn back to me," says the LORD.

18Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider it.

18"Think carefully about today and the days ahead. Today is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Today the bottom stones of the LORD's temple were set in place. Think about it."

19Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

19"Is there any seed left in the barn? The grapevine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have grown no fruit yet. But from this day on, I will bless you."

20And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

20God gave Haggai one more message that same day, the twenty-fourth day of the month.

21Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

21"Tell Zerubbabel, the ruler of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth."

22And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.

22"I will turn over the thrones of kings. I will break the power of other nations. I will turn over their chariots, the carts they ride in battle. Horses and riders will fall. Each one will die by his own brother's sword."

23In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

23"On that day," says the LORD of heaven's armies, "I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, my servant. I will make you like my signet ring. I have chosen you," says the LORD of heaven's armies.

NoteA signet ring had a mark carved in it. A king pressed it into soft wax to sign letters. It showed the letter really came from him, so the ring was valuable and always kept close.