בִּשְׁנַ֤ת שְׁתַּ֙יִם֙ לְדָרְיָ֣וֶשׁ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשִּׁשִּׁ֔י בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָיָ֨ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֜ה בְּיַד־חַגַּ֣י הַנָּבִ֗יא אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל֙ פַּחַ֣ת יְהוּדָ֔ה וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֧עַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָ֛ק הַכֹּהֵ֥ן הַגָּד֖וֹל לֵאמֹֽר׃ In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, this word of GOD came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest:

כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת לֵאמֹ֑ר הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ אָֽמְר֔וּ לֹ֥א עֶת־בֹּ֛א עֶת־בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה לְהִבָּנֽוֹת׃ {פ}
Thus said GOD of Hosts: These people say, “The time has not yet come^aThe time has not yet come Lit. “It is not time for the coming of the time.” for rebuilding the House of GOD.”

וַֽיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּיַד־חַגַּ֥י הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹֽר׃ And the word of GOD through the prophet Haggai continued:

הַעֵ֤ת לָכֶם֙ אַתֶּ֔ם לָשֶׁ֖בֶת בְּבָתֵּיכֶ֣ם סְפוּנִ֑ים וְהַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּ֖ה חָרֵֽב׃ Is it a time for you to dwell in your paneled houses, while this House is lying in ruins?

וְעַתָּ֕ה כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת שִׂ֥ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֖ם עַל־דַּרְכֵיכֶֽם׃ Now thus said GOD of Hosts: Consider how you have been faring!

זְרַעְתֶּ֨ם הַרְבֵּ֜ה וְהָבֵ֣א מְעָ֗ט אָכ֤וֹל וְאֵין־לְשׇׂבְעָה֙ שָׁת֣וֹ וְאֵין־לְשׇׁכְרָ֔ה לָב֖וֹשׁ וְאֵין־לְחֹ֣ם ל֑וֹ וְהַ֨מִּשְׂתַּכֵּ֔ר מִשְׂתַּכֵּ֖ר אֶל־צְר֥וֹר נָקֽוּב׃ {פ}
You have sowed much and brought in little; you eat without being satisfied; you drink without getting your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one gets warm; and he who earns anything earns it for a leaky purse.

כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת שִׂ֥ימוּ לְבַבְכֶ֖ם עַל־דַּרְכֵיכֶֽם׃ ^bThis verse and the next would read well after v. 11. Thus said GOD of Hosts: Consider how you have fared:

עֲל֥וּ הָהָ֛ר וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם עֵ֖ץ וּבְנ֣וּ הַבָּ֑יִת וְאֶרְצֶה־בּ֥וֹ (ואכבד) [וְאֶכָּבְדָ֖ה] אָמַ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה׃ Go up to the hills and get timber, and rebuild the House; then I will look on it with favor and I will be glorified^cbe glorified Emendation yields “glorify it”; see 2.7–9. —said GOD.

פָּנֹ֤ה אֶל־הַרְבֵּה֙ וְהִנֵּ֣ה לִמְעָ֔ט וַהֲבֵאתֶ֥ם הַבַּ֖יִת וְנָפַ֣חְתִּי ב֑וֹ יַ֣עַן מֶ֗ה נְאֻם֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת יַ֗עַן בֵּיתִי֙ אֲשֶׁר־ה֣וּא חָרֵ֔ב וְאַתֶּ֥ם רָצִ֖ים אִ֥ישׁ לְבֵיתֽוֹ׃ You have been expecting much and getting little; and when you brought it home, I would blow on it!^dblow on it Meaning, perhaps, cast a curse on it. Because of what?—says GOD of Hosts. Because of My House that lies in ruins, while you all hurry to your own houses!

עַל־כֵּ֣ן עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם כָּלְא֥וּ שָׁמַ֖יִם מִטָּ֑ל וְהָאָ֖רֶץ כָּלְאָ֥ה יְבוּלָֽהּ׃ That is why the skies above you have withheld [their] moisture and the earth has withheld its yield,

וָאֶקְרָ֨א חֹ֜רֶב עַל־הָאָ֣רֶץ וְעַל־הֶהָרִ֗ים וְעַל־הַדָּגָן֙ וְעַל־הַתִּיר֣וֹשׁ וְעַל־הַיִּצְהָ֔ר וְעַ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר תּוֹצִ֖יא הָאֲדָמָ֑ה וְעַל־הָֽאָדָם֙ וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֔ה וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־יְגִ֥יעַ כַּפָּֽיִם׃ {פ}
and I have summoned fierce heat upon the land—upon the hills, upon the new grain and wine and oil, upon all that the ground produces, upon human and animal, and upon all the fruits of labor.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל ׀ בֶּֽן־שַׁלְתִּיאֵ֡ל וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָק֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּד֜וֹל וְכֹ֣ל ׀ שְׁאֵרִ֣ית הָעָ֗ם בְּקוֹל֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֔ם וְעַל־דִּבְרֵי֙ חַגַּ֣י הַנָּבִ֔יא כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר שְׁלָח֖וֹ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם מִפְּנֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃ Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak and all the rest of the people gave heed to the summons of the ETERNAL their God and to the words of the prophet Haggai, when the ETERNAL their God sent him; the people feared GOD.

וַ֠יֹּ֠אמֶר חַגַּ֞י מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהֹוָ֛ה בְּמַלְאֲכ֥וּת יְהֹוָ֖ה לָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אֲנִ֥י אִתְּכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ And Haggai, GOD’s messenger, fulfilling GOD’s mission, spoke to the people, “I am with you—declares GOD.”

וַיָּ֣עַר יְהֹוָ֡ה אֶת־ר֩וּחַ֩ זְרֻבָּבֶ֨ל בֶּן־שַׁלְתִּיאֵ֜ל פַּחַ֣ת יְהוּדָ֗ה וְאֶת־ר֙וּחַ֙ יְהוֹשֻׁ֤עַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָק֙ הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֔וֹל וְֽאֶת־ר֔וּחַ כֹּ֖ל שְׁאֵרִ֣ית הָעָ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַיַּעֲשׂ֣וּ מְלָאכָ֔ה בְּבֵית־יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ {פ}
Then GOD roused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and the spirit of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and the spirit of all the rest of the people: They came and set to work on the House of GOD of Hosts, their God,

בְּי֨וֹם עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְאַרְבָּעָ֛ה לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ בַּשִּׁשִּׁ֑י בִּשְׁנַ֥ת שְׁתַּ֖יִם לְדָרְיָ֥וֶשׁ הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month. In the second year of King Darius,

בַּשְּׁבִיעִ֕י בְּעֶשְׂרִ֥ים וְאֶחָ֖ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ הָיָה֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּיַד־חַגַּ֥י הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹֽר׃ on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of GOD came through the prophet Haggai:

אֱמׇר־נָ֗א אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל בֶּן־שַׁלְתִּיאֵל֙ פַּחַ֣ת יְהוּדָ֔ה וְאֶל־יְהוֹשֻׁ֥עַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָ֖ק הַכֹּהֵ֣ן הַגָּד֑וֹל וְאֶל־שְׁאֵרִ֥ית הָעָ֖ם לֵאמֹֽר׃ Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, and to the rest of the people:

מִ֤י בָכֶם֙ הַנִּשְׁאָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר רָאָה֙ אֶת־הַבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּ֔ה בִּכְבוֹד֖וֹ הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן וּמָ֨ה אַתֶּ֜ם רֹאִ֤ים אֹתוֹ֙ עַ֔תָּה הֲל֥וֹא כָמֹ֛הוּ כְּאַ֖יִן בְּעֵינֵיכֶֽם׃ Who is there left among you who saw this House in its former splendor? How does it look to you now? It must seem like nothing to you.

וְעַתָּ֣ה חֲזַ֣ק זְרֻבָּבֶ֣ל ׀ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֡ה וַחֲזַ֣ק יְהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בֶּן־יְהוֹצָדָק֩ הַכֹּהֵ֨ן הַגָּד֜וֹל וַחֲזַ֨ק כׇּל־עַ֥ם הָאָ֛רֶץ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֖ה וַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י אִתְּכֶ֔ם נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ But be strong, O Zerubbabel—says GOD —be strong, O high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak; be strong, all you people of the land—says GOD —and act! For I am with you—says GOD of Hosts.

אֶֽת־הַדָּבָ֞ר אֲשֶׁר־כָּרַ֤תִּי אִתְּכֶם֙ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם וְרוּחִ֖י עֹמֶ֣דֶת בְּתוֹכְכֶ֑ם אַל־תִּירָֽאוּ׃ {פ}
So I promised you when you came out of Egypt, and My spirit is still in your midst. Fear not!

כִּ֣י כֹ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת ע֥וֹד אַחַ֖ת מְעַ֣ט הִ֑יא וַאֲנִ֗י מַרְעִישׁ֙ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־הַיָּ֖ם וְאֶת־הֶחָרָבָֽה׃ For thus said GOD of Hosts: In just a little while longer I will shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land;

וְהִרְעַשְׁתִּי֙ אֶת־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וּבָ֖אוּ חֶמְדַּ֣ת כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וּמִלֵּאתִ֞י אֶת־הַבַּ֤יִת הַזֶּה֙ כָּב֔וֹד אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ I will shake all the nations. And the precious things of all the nations shall come [here], and I will fill this House with glory, said GOD of Hosts.

לִ֥י הַכֶּ֖סֶף וְלִ֣י הַזָּהָ֑ב נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ Silver is Mine and gold is Mine—says GOD of Hosts.

גָּד֣וֹל יִֽהְיֶ֡ה כְּבוֹד֩ הַבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֤ה הָאַֽחֲרוֹן֙ מִן־הָ֣רִאשׁ֔וֹן אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וּבַמָּק֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן שָׁל֔וֹם נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ {פ}
The glory of this latter House shall be greater than that of the former one, said GOD of Hosts; and in this place I will grant prosperity—declares GOD of Hosts.

בְּעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְאַרְבָּעָה֙ לַתְּשִׁיעִ֔י בִּשְׁנַ֥ת שְׁתַּ֖יִם לְדָרְיָ֑וֶשׁ הָיָה֙ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־חַגַּ֥י הַנָּבִ֖יא לֵאמֹֽר׃ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth [month], in the second year of Darius, the word of GOD came to the prophet Haggai:

כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת שְׁאַל־נָ֧א אֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים תּוֹרָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ Thus said GOD of Hosts: Seek a ruling from the priests, as follows:

הֵ֣ן ׀ יִשָּׂא־אִ֨ישׁ בְּשַׂר־קֹ֜דֶשׁ בִּכְנַ֣ף בִּגְד֗וֹ וְנָגַ֣ע בִּ֠כְנָפ֠וֹ אֶל־הַלֶּ֨חֶם וְאֶל־הַנָּזִ֜יד וְאֶל־הַיַּ֧יִן וְאֶל־שֶׁ֛מֶן וְאֶל־כׇּל־מַאֲכָ֖ל הֲיִקְדָּ֑שׁ וַיַּעֲנ֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ לֹֽא׃ If someone is carrying sacrificial flesh in a fold of their garment, and with that fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, will the latter become holy? In reply, the priests said, “No.”

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חַגַּ֔י אִם־יִגַּ֧ע טְמֵא־נֶ֛פֶשׁ בְּכׇל־אֵ֖לֶּה הֲיִטְמָ֑א וַיַּעֲנ֧וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ יִטְמָֽא׃ Haggai went on, “If someone defiled by a corpse touches any of these, will it be defiled?” And the priests responded, “Yes.”

וַיַּ֨עַן חַגַּ֜י וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֵּ֣ן הָֽעָם־הַ֠זֶּ֠ה וְכֵן־הַגּ֨וֹי הַזֶּ֤ה לְפָנַי֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְכֵ֖ן כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְדֵיהֶ֑ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יַקְרִ֛יבוּ שָׁ֖ם טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃ Thereupon Haggai said: That is how this people and that is how this nation looks to Me—declares GOD —and so, too, the work of their hands: Whatever they offer there is defiled.

וְעַתָּה֙ שִֽׂימוּ־נָ֣א לְבַבְכֶ֔ם מִן־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה מִטֶּ֧רֶם שֽׂוּם־אֶ֛בֶן אֶל־אֶ֖בֶן בְּהֵיכַ֥ל יְהֹוָֽה׃ And now take thought, from this day backward:^abackward Or “forward.” As long as no stone had been laid on another in the House of GOD,

מִֽהְיוֹתָ֥ם בָּא֙ אֶל־עֲרֵמַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וְהָיְתָ֖ה עֲשָׂרָ֑ה בָּ֣א אֶל־הַיֶּ֗קֶב לַחְשֹׂף֙ חֲמִשִּׁ֣ים פּוּרָ֔ה וְהָיְתָ֖ה עֶשְׂרִֽים׃ if one came to a heap of twenty measures,^bheap of twenty measures Of grain. it would yield only ten; and if one came to a wine vat to skim off fifty measures, the press would yield only twenty.

הִכֵּ֨יתִי אֶתְכֶ֜ם בַּשִּׁדָּפ֤וֹן וּבַיֵּֽרָקוֹן֙ וּבַבָּרָ֔ד אֵ֖ת כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְדֵיכֶ֑ם וְאֵין־אֶתְכֶ֥ם אֵלַ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ I struck you—all the works of your hands—with blight and mildew and hail, but you did not return^cyou did not return Lit. “there was not with you to Me”; cf. Amos 4.9. to Me—declares GOD.

שִׂימוּ־נָ֣א לְבַבְכֶ֔ם מִן־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה וָמָ֑עְלָה מִיּוֹם֩ עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְאַרְבָּעָ֜ה לַתְּשִׁיעִ֗י לְמִן־הַיּ֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־יֻסַּ֥ד הֵֽיכַל־יְהֹוָ֖ה שִׂ֥ימוּ לְבַבְכֶֽם׃ Take note, from this day forward—from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day when the foundation was laid for GOD’s Temple—take note

הַע֤וֹד הַזֶּ֙רַע֙ בַּמְּגוּרָ֔ה וְעַד־הַגֶּ֨פֶן וְהַתְּאֵנָ֧ה וְהָרִמּ֛וֹן וְעֵ֥ץ הַזַּ֖יִת לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֑א מִן־הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּ֖ה אֲבָרֵֽךְ׃ {פ}
while the seed is still in the granary, and the vine, fig tree, pomegranate, and olive tree have not yet borne fruit. For from this day on I will send blessings.

וַיְהִ֨י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ שֵׁנִית֙ אֶל־חַגַּ֔י בְּעֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְאַרְבָּעָ֛ה לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ לֵאמֹֽר׃ And the word of GOD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

אֱמֹ֕ר אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל פַּֽחַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר אֲנִ֣י מַרְעִ֔ישׁ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ Speak to Zerubbabel the governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

וְהָֽפַכְתִּי֙ כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלָכ֔וֹת וְהִ֨שְׁמַדְתִּ֔י חֹ֖זֶק מַמְלְכ֣וֹת הַגּוֹיִ֑ם וְהָפַכְתִּ֤י מֶרְכָּבָה֙ וְרֹ֣כְבֶ֔יהָ וְיָרְד֤וּ סוּסִים֙ וְרֹ֣כְבֵיהֶ֔ם אִ֖ישׁ בְּחֶ֥רֶב אָחִֽיו׃ And I will overturn the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the might of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders shall fall, each by the sword of his fellow.

בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֣וּא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֡וֹת אֶ֠קָּחֲךָ֠ זְרֻבָּבֶ֨ל בֶּן־שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵ֤ל עַבְדִּי֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ כַּֽחוֹתָ֑ם כִּֽי־בְךָ֣ בָחַ֔רְתִּי נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ On that day—declares GOD of Hosts—I will take you, O My servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel—declares GOD —and make you as a signet;^dmake you as a signet I.e., bring you close to Me; contrast Jer. 22.24–30. for I have chosen you—declares GOD of Hosts.