Haggai 1

¹ In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month,[*a] the word of Yahweh was addressed through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, high commissioner of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as follows,

² ‘Yahweh Sabaoth says this, “This people says: The time has not yet come to rebuild the Temple of Yahweh.

³ (And the word of Yahweh was addressed through the prophet Haggai, as follows:)

⁴ Is this a time for you to live in your panelled houses, when this House lies in ruins?

⁵ So now, Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you.

⁶ You have sown much and harvested little; you eat but never have enough, drink but never have your fill, put on clothes but do not feel warm. The wage earner gets his wages only to put them in a purse riddled with holes.

⁸ So go to the hill country, fetch wood, and rebuild the House: I shall then take pleasure in it, and be glorified there, says Yahweh.

⁷ Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Reflect carefully how things have gone for you.

⁹ The abundance you expected proved to be little. When you brought the harvest in, my breath spoilt it. And why? – it is Yahweh Sabaoth who speaks. Because while my House lies in ruins you are busy with your own, each one of you.

¹⁰ That is why the sky has withheld the rain and the earth withheld its yield.

¹¹ I have called down drought on land and hills, on wheat, on new wine, on oil and on all the produce of the ground, on man and beast and all their labours.”‘

¹² Now Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people, paid attention to the voice of Yahweh their God and to the words of the prophet Haggai, Yahweh having sent him to them. And the people were filled with fear before Yahweh.

¹³ Haggai, the messenger of Yahweh, passed on the message of Yahweh to the people, as follows, ‘I am with you – it is Yahweh who speaks’.

¹⁴ And Yahweh roused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, high commissioner of Judah, the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and set to work on the Temple of Yahweh Sabaoth their God.

¹⁵ This was on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.