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On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying:“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,‘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?’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.This is the promise I made to youwhen you came out of Egypt.And My Spirit remains among you;do not be afraid.”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.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.The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,declares the LORD of Hosts.The latter glory of this housewill be greater than the former,says the LORD of Hosts.And in this place I will provide peace,declares the LORD of Hosts.”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,“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.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. 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. 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. Now consider carefully from this day forward: Before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,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.I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, and hail, but you did not turn to Me, declares the LORD.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: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.”For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying,“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:I will overturn royal thronesand destroy the powerof 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.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.”