On the first day of the sixth month of the second year of the reign of King Darius, this message from the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Shealtiel's son Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, and to Jehozadak's son Joshua, the high priest:

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not come, the time that the LORD'S house should be built.

Then this message from the LORD came by Haggai the prophet:

Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

Now, the Lord of Hosts says this: “Think carefully about your ways:

The Lord of Hosts says this: “Think carefully about your ways.

Go up the mountain and bring wood, and build this House; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, says Jehovah.

“You expected much, but then it amounted to little. When you brought the harvest to your house, I ruined it. Why?” This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts. “Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.

For this cause the heaven over you is kept from giving dew, and the earth from giving her fruit.

This took place on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month of the second year of the reign of King Darius.

On the twenty-first day of the seventh month, this message from the LORD came by Haggai the prophet:

Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

“This is the promise I made to you when you came out of Egypt, and My Spirit is present among you; don’t be afraid.”

For the Lord of Hosts says this: “Once more, in a little while, I am going to shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the second year of the reign of King Darius, this message from the LORD came to Haggai the prophet:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Ask the priests for a ruling:

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.”

Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:

Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S temple was laid, consider it.

Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.

This message from the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month:

On that day”—this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts—“I will take you, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, My servant”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and make you like My signet ring, for I have chosen you.” This is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts.