1 In Dareyavesh’s (Darius’s) second year as king of Persia, on the 1st of the sixth month, the prophet Haggai brought Yahweh’s message to the governor of Yehudah, Zerubavel (Shealtiyel’s son), and to the high priest, Yehoshua (Yehotsadak’s son), telling them that[ref] 2 army commander Yahweh says, “These people say that it’s not the right time to rebuild Yahweh’s residence.”

3 Then Yahweh gave this message to the prophet Haggai to tell the people:

4 Is it a time for all of you to live in your panelled houses, while Yahweh’s temple lies in ruins? 5 So now army commander Yahweh says: “Decide what you’re all going to do. 6 You’ve all planted a lot, but only harvested a little. You’ve eaten, but it never fills you. You all drink, but never enough to satisfy you. You put on clothes, but never feel warm enough. You earn wages, but your pockets seem to be full of holes.”

7 So army commander Yahweh says again: “Decide what you’re all going to do. 8 Go up into the hills and bring back timber to build the temple. This will please and honour me,” says Yahweh.

9 “You expected much, but gained little. Anything you brought home, I blew away again. Why? Army commander Yahweh says it’s because my residence is still in ruins, while you’re all busy working on your own houses. 10 That’s why the sky withholds the dew and the soil withholds its crops. 11 I’ve summoned a drought onto the land and into the hills, onto the grain and the new wine, onto the oil and crops from the ground, onto both people and livestock, and onto everything you all do.”

12 Then Shealtiyel’s son Zerubavel and Yehotsadak’s son Yehoshua, the high priest, and all the rest of the people listened to the voice of their god Yahweh via the words of the prophet Haggai, because Yahweh their god had sent him, and the people respected Yahweh. 13 Then Yahweh’s messenger Haggai passed this message from Yahweh onto the people, “Yahweh declares that I’m with you all.” 14 Then Yahweh inspired Shealtiyel’s son Zerubavel, the governor of Yehudah, inspired Yehotsadak’s son Yehoshua, the high priest, and inspired all the rest of the people, and they came and started work on the temple for their god, army commander Yahweh, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month of the second year of Dareyavesh the king of Persia.

2 On the 21st of the seventh month (about a month later), Yahweh spoke again through the prophet Haggai: 2 Please ask Shealtiyel’s son Zerubavel, the governor of Yehudah, and ask Yehotsadak’s son Yehoshua, the high priest, and ask the rest of the people, 3 “Are there any of you still alive who saw the splendour of the former temple? How does it look to you now? It must now seem pretty much like nothing in comparison.[ref] 4 Yahweh is telling you now, Zerubavel, to be strong. And be strong, high priest Yehoshua, and be strong all you people of the land. Army commander Yahweh declares that I’m with you as you work. 5 That’s what I promised your ancestors when they came out of Egypt,[ref] and my spirit remains among you. Don’t be afraid, 6 because army commander Yahweh says that in a little while, I’ll shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land, once more.[ref] 7 I’ll shake all the nations, and they’ll come here bringing their treasure. Then I’ll fill this temple with my splendour, says army commander Yahweh. 8 Army commander Yahweh declares that the gold and silver belong to me. 9 I declare that this temple will be greater in the future than it was in the past, and also that I will give peace and prosperity to this place.”

10 On the 24th of the ninth month in King Dareyavesh’s second year (about two months later), Yahweh gave a message to the prophet Haggai: 11 Army commander Yahweh says, “Ask the priests about Mosheh’s instructions. 12 ‘If a priest took some meat that had been offered to God and carried it wrapped in a piece of clothing, then if the clothing touched some other food, would that other food become holy?’ ”

“No, it wouldn’t,” the priests replied.

13 Then Haggai asked, “But if a person became unclean by touching a corpse and then touched any of that food, would it become unclean?”[ref]

“Yes, it would become unclean,” the priests answered.

14 “That’s what Yahweh declares about you people,” Haggai continued. “He says that that’s how this country acts towards him. Your actions are dishonourable, and then that same disrespect transfers to your offerings. 15 So now think back to before stones were being laid for Yahweh’s temple. 16 During that time, when someone went to get twenty containers of grain, there were only ten there, and when someone went to fill fifty jars of wine from the vat, there was only enough for twenty. 17 Yahweh declares that he caused blight and mildew and hail to affect your work, but you still didn’t turn to him. 18 Think back to the time from when the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was laid, until today (this 24th of the ninth month). Consider that. 19 Is any grain left in the storehouse for seed? What’s more, the vines, and the fig trees and pomegranate trees and olive trees, haven’t produced fruit. However, Yahweh will bless you from today onwards.”

20 Then Yahweh gave a second message to Haggai on the 24th: 21 Tell Zerubavel, the governor of Yehudah, “I’m about to shake the heavens and the earth. 22 I’ll overthrow the thrones of kingdoms, and destroy the strength of the nations. I’ll overthrow chariots and riders—horses and their riders will fall and related tribes will kill each other. 23 Army commander Yahweh declares that on that day he will take Shealtiyel’s son Zerubavel and cause him to place Yahweh’s mark on the nation like a signet ring, because he’s been chosen.”