
AGAINST THOSE WHO THINK 
ONLY OF THEIR OWN 
HOUSE{/}

{1}1{/}

{I}1_{/}In the second 
year of the reign of 
Darius, on the first day 
of the sixth month, a 
word of Yahweh was 
directed to the prophet 
Haggai for the benefit of 
Zerubbabel, the son of 
Shealtiel, governor of 
Judah, and Joshua the son 
of Jehozadak, the high 
priest.
{I}2_{/}"So says Yahweh 
of hosts: This people 
claim that the time to 
rebuild the House of 
Yahweh has not yet come. 
{I}3_{/}Well now, hear 
what I have to say 
through the prophet 
Haggai: {I}4_{/}Is this 
the time for you to live 
in your well-built houses 
while this House is a 
heap of ruins? 
{I}5_{/}Think about your 
ways: {I}6_{/}you have 
sown much but harvested 
little, you eat and drink 
but are not satisfied, 
you clothe yourselves but 
still feel cold, and the 
laborer puts the money he 
earned in a tattered 
purse.
{I}7_{/}Now think about 
what you must do: 
{I}8_{/}go to the 
mountain and look for 
wood to rebuild the 
House. This will make me 
happy and I will feel 
deeply honored, says 
Yahweh. {I}9_{/}You 
expected much but it 
turned out to be very 
little. I blew away what 
you had piled up. Why? 
Because my House lies in 
ruins while each of you 
goes running home. 
{I}10_{/}Therefore the 
heavens have withheld 
rain, and the earth has 
not produced anything. 
{I}11_{/}I sent drought 
upon the valley and the 
hills, upon the wheat and 
the vines, the oil and 
whatever the soil 
produces, upon people and 
animals, and upon any 
work of your hands."
{I}12_{/}Now, when 
Zerubbabel, the son of 
Shealtiel, Joshua the son 
of Jehozadak, the high 
priest, {I}13_{/}and all 
the people heard these 
words of the prophet 
Haggai whom Yahweh had 
sent to speak to them, 
they paid attention to 
what Yahweh had told them 
and the people were 
filled with respect for 
God.
{I}14_{/}Then Haggai, the 
messenger of Yahweh, 
passed on to the people 
this word of Yahweh, "I 
am with you." Then Yahweh 
moved the heart of 
Zerubbabel, Joshua and 
all the people, and they 
began rebuilding the 
House of Yahweh of hosts, 
their God. {I}15_{/}It 
was the twenty-fourth day 
of the sixth month.
{1}2{/}

{I}1_{/}On the twenty-
first day of the seventh 
month of the second year 
of the reign of Darius, 
this word of Yahweh was 
sent through the prophet 
Haggai, {I}2_{/}"Give 
this message to 
Zerubbabel, the governor 
of Judah, and to Joshua, 
the high priest, and to 
all the people:
THE GLORY OF THE NEW 
TEMPLE{/}

{I}3_{/}Is there left 
among you one of those 
who saw this house long 
ago in the time of its 
glory? What do they think 
of what they see now? Is 
it not a very little 
thing? {I}4_{/}But I say 
to you, Zerubbabel, 
Joshua and my people: do 
not be discouraged. Begin 
to work, for I am with 
you, says Yahweh. 
{I}5_{/}Do not be afraid, 
for my spirit is in your 
midst. 
{I}6_{/}Thus says Yahweh 
of hosts, within a short 
while I will shake the 
heavens and the earth, 
the sea and the 
continents. {I}7_{/}Then 
I will shake all the 
nations and bring in the 
treasures of the whole 
world. I will fill this 
House with glory, says 
Yahweh. {I}8_{/}I will 
have as much silver and 
gold as I wish. 
{I}9_{/}The renown of 
this Temple will be 
greater than before, and 
in this place I will give 
peace," says Yahweh of 
hosts.
{I}10_{/}On the twenty-
fourth day of the ninth 
month, in the second year 
of Darius, the word of 
Yahweh was directed again 
to the prophet Haggai. 
{I}11_{/}He should ask 
the priests to resolve 
the following case in 
accordance with the Law: 
{I}12_{/}"If someone 
brings consecrated meat 
wrapped in his cloak, and 
the edge of his cloak 
touches bread, cooked 
food, wine, oil, or any 
other food, will all 
these become consecrated 
food?" They immediately 
answered, "No."
{I}13_{/}Haggai went on 
to say, "But if someone 
becomes unclean by having 
touched a dead body, and 
then touches any of these 
things, will all these 
become unclean?" This 
time the priests said, 
"Yes."
{I}14_{/}Then Haggai 
addressed them, "So it is 
with this people and this 
nation before me, says 
Yahweh, so with 
everything they do and 
all they offer here: all 
is unclean.
{I}15_{/}Pay attention to 
this from now on: how was 
it with you before the 
rebuilding of the Temple 
was begun? {I}16_{/}You 
expected twenty sacks of 
wheat, but there were 
only ten. You thought of 
drawing out fifty 
measures of wine but 
there were only twenty. 
{I}17_{/}I spoiled all 
your work with blight, 
mildew and hail. Yet none 
returned to me, says the 
Lord. 
{I}18_{/}Pay attention, 
then, from now on, since 
the first stone of the 
Sanctuary of Yahweh was 
laid. {I}19_{/}See if the 
wheat, the vine, the fig 
tree and the pomegranate 
go on yielding little! 
From this day on I will 
bless your olive trees."
PROMISES TO ZERUBBABEL{/}

{I}20_{/}The word of 
Yahweh came again to 
Haggai on the twenty-
fourth day of the same 
month, {I}21_{/}"Say to 
Zerubbabel, the governor 
of Judah: {I}22_{/}I will 
overthrow the thrones of 
the kings and destroy the 
power of the nations. I 
will overturn the chariot 
and its driver; the 
horses and their riders 
shall tumble down to the 
ground. They will kill 
one another. {I}23_{/}On 
that day I will take you, 
Zerubbabel, my servant, 
the son of Shealtiel, and 
for me you will be like a 
ring on my finger with my 
initials on it. For I 
have chosen you, says 
Yahweh of hosts."

