Recall its former glory

1In the second year of Dari'us the king, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, 2“Speak now to Zerub'babel the son of She-al'ti-el, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, 3‘Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? 4Yet now take courage, O Zerub'babel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, 5according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit abides among you; fear not. 62.6: Heb 12.26.For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; 7and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the LORD of hosts. 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. 9The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.’ ”

10On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Dari'us, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, 11“Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests to decide this question, 12‘If one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touches with his skirt bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?’ ” The priests answered, “No.” 13Then said Haggai, “If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It does become unclean.” 14Then Haggai said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. 15Pray now, consider what will come to pass from this day onward. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the temple of the LORD, 16how did you fare?2.16 Gk: Heb since they were When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winevat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17I smote you and all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail; yet you did not return to me, says the LORD.

Build for a great future

18“Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider: 19Is the seed yet in the barn? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still yield nothing? From this day on I will bless you.”

20The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month, 21“Speak to Zerub'babel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, 22and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall go down, every one by the sword of his fellow. 23On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerub'babel my servant, the son of She-al'ti-el, says the LORD, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.”