FBV HAG book

1 In the second year of the reign of king Darius, on the first day of the sixth month,[fn] the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

2 The Lord Almighty says this: the people say, “This isn't the proper time to rebuild the Lord's house.”

3 Then the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai, saying,[fn] 4 Is it the proper time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house[fn] remains a ruin? 5 So the Lord Almighty says this: Think about what you're doing! 6 You have sown much but harvested little. You eat but you're still hungry. You drink but you're still thirsty. You put on clothes but you're still cold. You work hard to earn money but put it in a bag full of holes.[fn] 7 The Lord Almighty says this: Think about what you're doing! 8 Go into the hills and bring wood to build the house. This will please me and honor me, says the Lord. 9 You were hoping for so much, but look, it turned out to be so little. Everything you brought home I blew away. And why was that? Because my house remains a ruin while you are preoccupied with building your own houses, declares the Lord Almighty. 10 That's why the clouds of heaven refused to send rain, and the earth refused to produce crops. 11 I called for a drought on the land, on the hills, on the grain fields, on the vineyards, and on the olive groves—on whatever the earth produces—and on people and livestock, on everything you do!

12 Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, together with all the remaining people, paid attention to what the Lord said, and to the words of Haggai the prophet that the Lord their God had sent. The people showed reverence before the Lord.

13 Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, delivered this message from the Lord telling the people, I am with you! says the Lord.

14 The Lord inspired Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people. They came and began work on the house of the Lord Almighty. 15 This happened on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of the reign of king Darius.

2 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai.

2 Say to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people, 3 Is there anyone left among you who saw this house in its former glory?[fn] How does it look to you now? Does it seem like nothing to you? 4 So then be strong, Zerubbabel! Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, high priest! Be strong, all you people who remain in the land! Work, for I am with you, says the Lord Almighty. 5 Just as I promised you when you left Egypt, my Spirit continues to be among you. Don't be afraid! 6 This is what the Lord Almighty says: Soon I will shake the heavens and the earth once more, and the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all the nations, and the one desired[fn] by all of the nations will come and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord Almighty. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord Almighty. 9 The glory of this second house will be greater than the first, says the Lord Almighty, and I will bring peace in this place. So declares the Lord Almighty.

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of the reign of king Darius, the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai. 11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: Ask the priests about the law. 12 If someone carries some meat from a holy sacrifice in a fold of their clothes and that fold touches some bread or stew or wine or olive oil or any other kind of food, does that food become holy?” And the priests answered, “No.” 13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes unclean by touching a dead body[fn] and then touches any of these foods, do they become unclean?” The priests answered, “Yes, it does become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai responded, “This is how it is with these people, and with the nation before me, says the Lord. All that they do, every offering they bring, is unclean.”

15 Now think about what you're doing from this day on. Before a stone was laid on another stone in the house of the Lord, 16 how was it for you? You expected a store of grain with twenty measures but only found ten. You thought you could empty out fifty measures from the winepress but there was only twenty. 17 I struck with blight and mildew and hail everything you were working so hard for, but even so you refused to come back to me, says the Lord. 18 Think about what you're doing from this day on, today the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month when a foundation was laid for the house of the Lord. Think about it: 19 the seed is still in the barn. The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate tree, and the olive tree have not yet given fruit. But from this day on I will bless you.

20 The Lord sent another message through the prophet Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21 Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the nations' kingdoms. I will overthrow the chariots and their riders. The horses and riders will fall, and the men will kill each other by the sword. 23 On that day, says the Lord, I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, my servant, and make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you. So declares the Lord Almighty.

1:1 Thought to be in 520 BC.

1:3 The use of quotation marks is avoided once again as it is confusing to open and close them when the Lord refers to himself speaking. It is also at times hard to determine which are the Lord's words and those of the prophet who is speaking for him. See also footnote for Isaiah 1:2.

1:4 Referring to the ruined Temple.

1:6 An early example of inflation...

2:3 Some of the old people may have seen the previous Temple that was destroyed almost 70 years earlier.

2:7 Or “treasures.”

2:13 Implied. See Numbers 19.