Haggai
Introduction to Haggai
[Transcript coming soon]
Chapter 1
1.1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of Jehovah came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying:
1.2 “This is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘These people say, “The time has not yet come for the house of Jehovah to be built.”’”
1.3 And the word of Jehovah again came through Haggai the prophet, saying:
1.4 “Is it the time for you to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
1.5 Now this is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘Set your heart on your ways.
1.6 You have sown much seed, but you harvest little. You eat, but it is not to satisfaction. You drink, but you do not drink your fill. You put on clothing, but no one gets warm. The one who hires himself out puts his wages in a bag full of holes.’”
1.7 “This is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘Set your heart on your ways.’
1.8 “‘Go up to the mountain and bring in lumber. And build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and I may be glorified,’ Jehovah says.”
1.9 “‘You were expecting much and receiving little; and when you brought it into the house, I blew it away. For what reason?’ declares Jehovah of armies. ‘Because my house is in ruins, while each of you runs around taking care of his own house.
1.10 So the heavens above you withheld their dew, and the earth withheld its produce.
1.11 And I kept calling for a drought on the earth, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what grows from the ground, on humans and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.’”
1.12 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the rest of the people listened to the voice of Jehovah their God and to the words of Haggai the prophet, because Jehovah their God had sent him; and the people began to show fear because of Jehovah.
1.13 Then Haggai, the messenger of Jehovah, gave this message to the people in harmony with his commission from Jehovah: “‘I am with you people,’ declares Jehovah.”
1.14 So Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the rest of the people; and they came and began to work on the house of Jehovah of armies, their God.
1.15 This was on the 24th day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius.
Chapter 2
2.1 In the seventh month, on the 21st day of the month, the word of Jehovah came through Haggai the prophet, saying,
2.2 “Please ask Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the rest of the people:
2.3 ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem like nothing in comparison?’
2.4 “‘But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.’ “‘And be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and work.’ “‘For I am with you,’ declares Jehovah of armies.
2.5 ‘Remember what I promised you when you came out of Egypt, and my spirit remains among you. Do not be afraid.’”
2.6 “For this is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘Yet once more—in a little while—and I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land.’
2.7 “‘And I will shake all the nations, and the precious things of all the nations will come in; and I will fill this house with glory,’ says Jehovah of armies.
2.8 “‘The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ declares Jehovah of armies.
2.9 “‘The future glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says Jehovah of armies. “‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares Jehovah of armies.”
2.10 On the 24th day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of Jehovah came to Haggai the prophet, saying:
2.11 “This is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘Ask, please, the priests about the law:
2.12 “If a man carries holy flesh in the fold of his clothing, and his clothing touches bread or stew or wine or oil or any sort of food, will it become holy?”’”The priests answered: “No!”
2.13 Haggai then asked: “If someone who is unclean from contact with a dead body touches any of these things, will it become unclean?”The priests answered: “It will become unclean.”
2.14 So Haggai said: “‘That is how this people is, and that is how this nation is before me,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and that is how all the work of their hands is; whatever they present there is unclean.’
2.15 “‘But now, please, set your heart on this from this day forward: Before a stone was placed on a stone in the temple of Jehovah,
2.16 how was it then? When someone came to a heap of grain expecting 20 measures, there were only 10; and when someone came to the vat to draw 50 measures from the wine trough, there were only 20;
2.17 I struck you—all the works of your hands—with scorching blight and mildew and hail, but not one of you turned to me,’ declares Jehovah.
2.18 “‘Please, set your heart on this from this day forward, from the 24th day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the temple of Jehovah was laid; set your heart on this:
2.19 Is there seed yet in the storehouse? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree—they have not yet borne fruit, have they? From this day I will send a blessing.’”
2.20 The word of Jehovah came a second time to Haggai on the 24th day of the month, saying:
2.21 “Say to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.
2.22 I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms and annihilate the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariot and its riders, and the horses and their riders will fall, each one by the sword of his brother.’”
2.23 “‘In that day,’ declares Jehovah of armies, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and I will make you like a seal ring, because you are the one whom I have chosen,’ declares Jehovah of armies.”