2:1 On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, 1 the Lord spoke again through the prophet Haggai: 2 2:2 “Ask the following questions to 3 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, 4 and the remnant of the people: 2:3 ‘Who among you survivors saw the former splendor of this temple? 5 How does it look to you now? Isn’t it nothing by comparison? 2:4 Even so, take heart, Zerubbabel,’ says the Lord. ‘Take heart, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and 6 all you citizens of the land,’ 7 says the Lord, ‘and begin to work. For I am with you,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 2:5 ‘Do not fear, because I made a promise to your ancestors when they left Egypt, and my spirit 8 even now testifies to you.’ 9 2:6 Moreover, the Lord who rules over all says: ‘In just a little while 10 I will once again shake the sky 11 and the earth, the sea and the dry ground. 2:7 I will also shake up all the nations, and they 12 will offer their treasures; 13 then I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 2:8 ‘The silver and gold will be mine,’ says the Lord who rules over all. 2:9 ‘The future splendor of this temple will be greater than that of former times,’ 14 the Lord who rules over all declares, ‘and in this place I will give peace.’” 15
2:10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of Darius’ second year, 16 the Lord spoke again to the prophet Haggai: 17 2:11 “The Lord who rules over all says, ‘Ask the priests about the law. 18 2:12 If someone carries holy meat in a fold of his garment and that fold touches bread, a boiled dish, wine, olive oil, or any other food, will that item become holy?’” 19 The priests answered, “It will not.” 2:13 Then Haggai asked, “If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body 20 comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”
2:14 Then Haggai responded, “‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’ 21 says the Lord. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean. 22 2:15 Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, 23 before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. 24 2:16 From that time 25 when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty. 2:17 I struck all the products of your labor 26 with blight, disease, and hail, and yet you brought nothing to me,’ 27 says the Lord. 2:18 ‘Think carefully about the past: 28 from today, the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, 29 to the day work on the temple of the Lord was resumed, 30 think about it. 31