The Coming Glory of God’s House

¹ On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying: ² “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and also to the remnant of the people. Ask them, ³ ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not appear to you like nothing in comparison?’

⁴ But now be strong, O Zerubbabel,

declares the LORD.

Be strong, O Joshua son of Jehozadak,

the high priest.

And be strong, all you people of the land,

declares the LORD.

Work! For I am with you,

declares the LORD of Hosts.

⁵ This is the promise I made to you

when you came out of Egypt.

And My Spirit remains among you;

do not be afraid.”

⁶ For this is what the LORD of Hosts says:

“Once more, in a little while,

I will shake the heavens and the earth,

the sea and the dry land.

⁷ I will shake all the nations,

and they will come with all their treasures^*,

and I will fill this house with glory,^*

says the LORD of Hosts.

⁸ The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,

declares the LORD of Hosts.

⁹ The latter glory^* of this house

will be greater than the former,

says the LORD of Hosts.

And in this place I will provide peace,

declares the LORD of Hosts.”

Blessings for a Defiled People

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying, ¹¹ “This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling^*. ¹² If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine,^* oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’”

“No,” replied the priests.

¹³ So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?”

“Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.

¹⁴ Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.

¹⁵ Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD, ¹⁶ from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths, there were but twenty. ¹⁷ I struck you— all the work of your hands— with blight, mildew, and hail, but you did not turn to Me, declares the LORD.

¹⁸ Consider carefully from this day forward — from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid — consider carefully: ¹⁹ Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yet yielded fruit. But from this day on, I will bless you.”

Zerubbabel the LORD’s Signet Ring

²⁰ For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying, ²¹ “Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:

²² I will overturn royal thrones

and destroy the power

of the kingdoms of the nations.

I will overturn chariots and their riders;

horses and their riders will fall,

each by the sword of his brother.

²³ On that day,

declares the LORD of Hosts,

I will take you, My servant,

Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,

declares the LORD,

and I will make you like My signet ring,

for I have chosen you,

declares the LORD of Hosts.”