A Call to Build the House of the Lord

In the second year of King Darius,(A) on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai(B) to Zerubbabel(C) son of Shealtiel, governor(D) of Judah, and to Joshua(E) son of Jozadak,[a](F) the high priest:(G)

This is what the Lord Almighty(H) says: “These people(I) say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.(J)’”

Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(K) “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses,(L) while this house remains a ruin?(M)

Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(N) to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little.(O) You eat, but never have enough.(P) You drink, but never have your fill.(Q) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,(R) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought(S) to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber(T) and build my house, so that I may take pleasure(U) in it and be honored,(V)” says the Lord. “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.(W) What you brought home, I blew(X) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,(Y) while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld(Z) their dew(AA) and the earth its crops.(AB) 11 I called for a drought(AC) on the fields and the mountains,(AD) on the grain, the new wine,(AE) the olive oil(AF) and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.(AG)

12 Then Zerubbabel(AH) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant(AI) of the people obeyed(AJ) the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared(AK) the Lord.

13 Then Haggai,(AL) the Lord’s messenger,(AM) gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with(AN) you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up(AO) the spirit of Zerubbabel(AP) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak,(AQ) the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant(AR) of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.(AS)

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius,(AT) on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,(AU) the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:(AV) “Speak to Zerubbabel(AW) son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,[b](AX) the high priest, and to the remnant(AY) of the people. Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house(AZ) in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?(BA) But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong,(BB) Joshua son of Jozadak,(BC) the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with(BD) you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘This is what I covenanted(BE) with you when you came out of Egypt.(BF) And my Spirit(BG) remains among you. Do not fear.’(BH)

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while(BI) I will once more shake the heavens and the earth,(BJ) the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired(BK) by all nations will come, and I will fill this house(BL) with glory,(BM)’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘The silver is mine and the gold(BN) is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘The glory(BO) of this present house(BP) will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,(BQ)’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month,(BR) in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests(BS) what the law says: 12 If someone carries consecrated meat(BT) in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?(BU)’”

The priests answered, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”

“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.(BV)

14 Then Haggai said, “‘So it is with this people(BW) and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer(BX) there is defiled.

15 “‘Now give careful thought(BY) to this from this day on[c]—consider how things were before one stone was laid(BZ) on another in the Lord’s temple.(CA) 16 When anyone came to a heap(CB) of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat(CC) to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty.(CD) 17 I struck all the work of your hands(CE) with blight,(CF) mildew and hail,(CG) yet you did not return(CH) to me,’ declares the Lord.(CI) 18 ‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought(CJ) to the day when the foundation(CK) of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: 19 Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate(CL) and the olive tree have not borne fruit.(CM)

“‘From this day on I will bless(CN) you.’”

Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring

20 The word of the Lord came to Haggai(CO) a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:(CP) 21 “Tell Zerubbabel(CQ) governor of Judah that I am going to shake(CR) the heavens and the earth. 22 I will overturn(CS) royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms.(CT) I will overthrow chariots(CU) and their drivers; horses and their riders(CV) will fall, each by the sword of his brother.(CW)

23 “‘On that day,(CX)’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant(CY) Zerubbabel(CZ) son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring,(DA) for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Footnotes

  1. Haggai 1:1 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verses 12 and 14
  2. Haggai 2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4
  3. Haggai 2:15 Or to the days past

In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built.

Then came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying,

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.

Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord.

Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the Lord of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the Lord their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the Lord their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the Lord.

13 Then spake Haggai the Lord's messenger in the Lord's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the Lord.

14 And the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the Lord of hosts, their God,

15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying,

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,

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?

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:

According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

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;

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.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.

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.

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,

11 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

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.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

20 And again the word of the Lord came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying,

21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

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.

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.

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple(A) saying to the seven angels,(B) “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”(C)

The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land,(D) and ugly, festering sores(E) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.(F)

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.(G)

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water,(H) and they became blood.(I) Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments,(J) O Holy One,(K)
    you who are and who were;(L)
for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,(M)
    and you have given them blood to drink(N) as they deserve.”

And I heard the altar(O) respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,(P)
    true and just are your judgments.”(Q)

The fourth angel(R) poured out his bowl on the sun,(S) and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.(T) They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God,(U) who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent(V) and glorify him.(W)

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(X) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.(Y) People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed(Z) the God of heaven(AA) because of their pains and their sores,(AB) but they refused to repent of what they had done.(AC)

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(AD) and its water was dried up to prepare the way(AE) for the kings from the East.(AF) 13 Then I saw three impure spirits(AG) that looked like frogs;(AH) they came out of the mouth of the dragon,(AI) out of the mouth of the beast(AJ) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(AK) 14 They are demonic spirits(AL) that perform signs,(AM) and they go out to the kings of the whole world,(AN) to gather them for the battle(AO) on the great day(AP) of God Almighty.

15 “Look, I come like a thief!(AQ) Blessed is the one who stays awake(AR) and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”(AS)

16 Then they gathered the kings together(AT) to the place that in Hebrew(AU) is called Armageddon.(AV)

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air,(AW) and out of the temple(AX) came a loud voice(AY) from the throne, saying, “It is done!”(AZ) 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder(BA) and a severe earthquake.(BB) No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth,(BC) so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city(BD) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered(BE) Babylon the Great(BF) and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.(BG) 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.(BH) 21 From the sky huge hailstones,(BI) each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God(BJ) on account of the plague of hail,(BK) because the plague was so terrible.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:21 Or about 45 kilograms

16 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.