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Haggai

Encourages the Jews to rebuild the temple, promising blessings.

Chapter 2

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1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying,
*In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day, God spoke through the prophet Haggai.
2 Speak 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,
*Tell Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, Judah's leader, and Joshua, son of Josedech, the top priest, and the rest of the people, "Say...
3 Who 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?
*Who among you still exists who witnessed this house when it was new and beautiful? And how do you view it now? Doesn't it seem insignificant to you compared to its former glory?
4 Yet 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:
*"Be strong now, Zerubbabel," says the Lord. "And you, Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest, be strong too. Same goes for all of you, people of the land," says the Lord. "Work hard because I'm with you," says the Lord of hosts.
5 According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
*As promised when you left Egypt, my spirit will stay with you. Don't be afraid.
6 For 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;
*So says the Lord of armies: In a short time, just one moment, I will shake the sky, the ground, the ocean, and the dry land.
7 And 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.
*I will cause all countries to tremble, and their deepest wishes will be fulfilled. I will fill this temple with great splendor, says the mighty God.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
*The silver and gold belong to me, says the Lord of armies.
9 The 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.
*The greatness of the future temple will be more than the past one, says the God of armies; and here, I will bring peace, says the God of armies.
10 In 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,
*On the 24th day of the ninth month, in the second year of King Darius, God spoke through the prophet Haggai.
11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
*So says the LORD of armies, "Go ask the priests about the rules and ask them,"
12 If 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.
*If someone has holy flesh on the bottom part of their clothing and touches food, soup, wine, oil, or any kind of meat with it, will it become holy? The priests replied, "No."
13 Then 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.
*Then Haggai asked, "If someone who is unclean because they touched a dead body touches any of these things, will it become unclean too?" The priests replied, "Yes, it will be unclean."
14 Then 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.
*Then Haggai replied, "This is how the people and nation are to me, says the Lord. The same goes for all their work. And what they bring there is unclean."
15 And 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:
*Starting today, please think about this carefully, since even before any stones were placed on top of each other in the LORD's temple.
16 Since 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.
*During that time, when someone gathered a pile of twenty measures of food, only ten were actually there; when someone went to get oil from the press to fill fifty containers, there were only twenty.
17 I 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.
*I struck you with destruction, mold, and hail in all your work tasks; but you still didn't listen to me, says the Lord.
18 Consider 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.
*Starting today, think about everything from the 24th day of the ninth month onwards, when the Lord's temple's foundation was laid. Consider it carefully.
19 Is 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.
*Has the seed reached the barn yet? No, not even the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, or olive tree has produced fruit. Starting today, I will bless you.
20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,
*And once more, God spoke to Haggai on the 24th day of the month, saying,
21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
*Tell Zerubbabel, the leader of Judah, that I will make the sky and the ground tremble.
22 And 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.
*I will destroy powerful kingdoms and their people's strength, knocking down their chariots and horses, with riders falling by each other's swords.
23 In 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.
*On that day, says the Lord of heaven's armies, I will choose you, Zerubbabel, my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the Lord. I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you, says the Lord of heaven's armies.
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