2:1  On the twenty-first of the seventh month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet saying,

2:2  "Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people saying,

2:3  `Who is left among you who saw this temple in its former glory? And how do you see it now? Does it not seem to you like nothing in comparison?

2:4  `But now take courage, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, `take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,' declares the LORD, `and work; for I am with you,' declares the LORD of hosts.

2:5  `As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!'

2:6  "For thus says the LORD of hosts, `Once more in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea also and the dry land.

2:7  `I will shake all the nations; and they will come with the wealth of all nations, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD of hosts.

2:8  `The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine,' declares the LORD of hosts.

2:9  `The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says the LORD of hosts, `and in this place I will give peace,' declares the LORD of hosts."

2:10  On the twenty-fourth of the ninth {month,} in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Haggai the prophet, saying,

2:11  "Thus says the LORD of hosts, `Ask now the priests {for} a ruling:

2:12  `If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any {other} food, will it become holy?' And the priests answered, "No.""

2:13  Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will {the latter} become unclean? And the priests answered, "It will become unclean.""

2:14  Then Haggai said, " `So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,' declares the LORD, `and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

2:15  `But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD,

2:16  from that time {when} one came to a {grain} heap of twenty {measures,} there would be only ten; and {when} one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there would be {only} twenty.

2:17  `I smote you {and} every work of your hands with blasting wind, mildew and hail; yet you {did} not {come back} to Me,' declares the LORD.

2:18  `Do consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth {month;} from the day when the temple of the LORD was founded, consider:

2:19  `Is the seed still in the barn? Even including the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree, it has not borne {fruit.} Yet from this day on I will bless {you.}'"

2:20  Then the word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth {day} of the month, saying,

2:21  "Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, `I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

2:22  `I will overthrow the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariots and their riders, and the horses and their riders will go down, everyone by the sword of another.'

2:23  `On that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, `I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,' declares the LORD, `and I will make you like a signet {ring,} for I have chosen you,' declares the LORD of hosts."