對新殿的應許
1七月二十一日，耶和華對先知哈該說： 2「你去告訴撒拉鐵的兒子猶大省長所羅巴伯、約撒答的兒子大祭司約書亞和所有的餘民， 3『你們當中有誰見過這殿昔日的榮耀呢？現在你們看這殿如何？看上去豈不是一文不值嗎？ 4所羅巴伯啊，你要剛強，這是耶和華說的。約撒答的兒子大祭司約書亞啊，你要剛強；這地方的所有百姓啊，你們要剛強。這是耶和華說的。你們要動工，因為我與你們同在。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 5這是你們離開埃及時我對你們的應許。不要懼怕，我的靈仍住在你們當中。
6「『萬軍之耶和華說，不久，我要再次震動天、地、海洋和旱地。 7萬軍之耶和華說，我要震動萬國，萬國的珍寶都要送到這殿，我要使這殿充滿榮耀。 8萬軍之耶和華說，金子是我的，銀子也是我的。 9萬軍之耶和華說，我要使這殿比從前更加榮耀。萬軍之耶和華說，我要在這地方賜下平安。』」
指出百姓的罪
10大流士王執政第二年九月二十四日，耶和華對先知哈該說： 11「萬軍之耶和華說，『你去問祭司， 12如果有人用衣服兜著祭肉，而衣服碰到餅、湯、酒、油或其他食物，這些被衣服碰到的食物會成為聖潔之物嗎？』」祭司們答道：「不會。」 13哈該又說：「如果因碰過屍體而變得不潔淨的人接觸這些食物，這些食物會變得不潔淨嗎？」祭司答道：「會變得不潔淨。」 14於是哈該說：「耶和華說，『這百姓和這國家在我面前也是如此。他們手中的各樣工作和他們在那裡所獻的都不潔淨。』
耶和華應許賜福
15「『從今以後，你們要回想重建耶和華殿之前的光景。 16那時，有人盼望得到二十斗穀物，卻只有十斗。有人盼望得到五十桶酒，榨酒池中卻只有二十桶。 17我曾用蟲災、黴災和冰雹毀滅你們的作物，你們仍沒有歸向我。這是耶和華說的。 18九月二十四日是我的殿奠定根基的日子。你們要思想這個日子，要認真思想。 19雖然糧倉裡沒有種子，葡萄樹、無花果樹、石榴樹和橄欖樹沒結果子，但從今以後，我要賜福給你們。』」
揀選所羅巴伯
20同一天，耶和華第二次對哈該說： 21「你告訴猶大省長所羅巴伯，『我必震動天地， 22推翻君王的寶座，消滅列國的勢力，掀翻他們的戰車和駕車的人，使戰馬跌倒、騎士自相殘殺。 23萬軍之耶和華說，我的僕人撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯啊，到那日，我必使你像我蓋印的戒指，因為我揀選了你。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。』」
1a second message came from the Lord. It came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 21st day of the seventh month. The Lord said, 2“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah and the son of Shealtiel. Also speak to Joshua the high priest, the son of Jozadak. And speak to all my people who are still left alive. Ask them, 3‘Did any of you who are here see how beautiful this temple used to be? How does it look to you now? It doesn’t look so good, does it? 4But be strong, Zerubbabel,’ announces the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua. Be strong, all of you people in the land,’ announces the Lord. ‘Start rebuilding. I am with you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all. 5‘That is what I promised you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit continues to be with you. So do not be afraid.’ ”
6The Lord says, “In a little while I will shake the heavens and the earth once more. I will also shake the ocean and the dry land. 7I will shake all the nations. Then what is desired by all nations will come to my temple. And I will fill the temple with glory,” says the Lord who rules over all. 8“The silver belongs to me. So does the gold,” announces the Lord who rules over all. 9“The new temple will be more beautiful than the first one was,” says the Lord. “And in this place I will bring peace,” announces the Lord who rules over all.
The Lord Will Make His People Pure and “Clean”
10A third message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet. The message came on the 24th day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was king. 11The Lord who rules over all speaks. He says, “Ask the priests what the law says. 12Suppose someone carries holy meat in the clothes they are wearing. And the clothes touch some bread or stew. Or they touch some wine, olive oil or other food. Then do these things also become holy?”
The priests answered, “No.”
13So Haggai said, “Suppose someone is made ‘unclean’ by touching a dead body. And then they touch one of these things. Does it become ‘unclean’ too?”
“Yes,” the priests replied. “It does.”
14Then here is what Haggai said. “The Lord announces, ‘That is how I look at these people and this nation. Anything they do and anything they sacrifice on the altar is “unclean.”
15“ ‘Think carefully about this from now on. Think about how things were before the Lord’s temple was built. This was before one stone was laid on top of another. 16People went to get 20 measures of grain. But they could find only 10. They went to where the wine was stored to get 50 measures. But only 20 were there. 17You worked very hard to produce all those things. But I struck them with rot, mold and hail. And you still did not return to me,’ announces the Lord. 18It is the 24th day of the ninth month. From this day on, here is what you should think carefully about. Think about the day when the foundation of my temple was laid. 19Are any seeds still left in your barns? Until now, your vines and fig trees have not produced any fruit. Your pomegranate and olive trees have not produced any either.
“ ‘But from this day on I will bless you.’ ”
The Lord Compares Zerubbabel to His Royal Ring
20A final message from the Lord came to Haggai. This message also came on the 24th day of the ninth month. The Lord said, 21“Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah. Tell him I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22I will throw down royal thrones. I will smash the power of other kingdoms. I will destroy chariots and their drivers. Horses and their riders will fall. They will be killed by the swords of their relatives.
23“ ‘Zerubbabel, at that time I will pick you,’ announces the Lord. ‘You are my servant,’ announces the Lord. ‘You will be like a ring that has my royal mark on it. I have chosen you,’ announces the Lord who rules over all.”
