1on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 2“Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak,2:2 Hebrew Jehozadak, a variant of Jozadak; also in verse 4 the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’
6“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
Blessings for a Defiled People
10On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Haggai: 11“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Ask the priests what the law says: 12If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?’ ”
The priests answered, “No.”
13Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?”
“Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”
14Then Haggai said, “ ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.
15“ ‘Now give careful thought to this from this day on2:15 Or to the days past—consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. 16When anyone came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When anyone went to a wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were only twenty. 17I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,’ declares the Lord. 18‘From this day on, from this twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, give careful thought to the day when the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid. Give careful thought: 19Is there yet any seed left in the barn? Until now, the vine and the fig tree, the pomegranate and the olive tree have not borne fruit.
“ ‘From this day on I will bless you.’ ”
Zerubbabel the Lord’s Signet Ring
20The word of the Lord came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the month: 21“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth. 22I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.
23“ ‘On that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘I will take you, my servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
对新殿的应许
1七月二十一日，耶和华借先知哈该说： 2“你去告诉撒拉铁的儿子犹大省长所罗巴伯、约撒答的儿子大祭司约书亚和所有的余民， 3‘你们幸存的人当中有谁见过这殿昔日的荣耀呢？现在你们看这殿如何？看上去岂不是无足轻重吗？ 4所罗巴伯啊，你要刚强，这是耶和华说的。约撒答的儿子大祭司约书亚啊，你要刚强；这地方的所有百姓啊，你们要刚强。这是耶和华说的。你们要动工，因为我与你们同在。这是万军之耶和华说的。 5这是你们出埃及时我与你们立的约。不要惧怕，我的灵仍住在你们当中。
6“‘万军之耶和华说，不久，我要再次震动天地、海洋和旱地。 7万军之耶和华说，我要震动万国，万国的珍宝都要送到这殿，我要使这殿充满荣耀。 8万军之耶和华说，金子是我的，银子也是我的。 9万军之耶和华说，这殿后来的荣耀必大过从前的荣耀。万军之耶和华说，我要在这地方赐下平安。’”
指出百姓的罪
10大流士王执政第二年九月二十四日，耶和华对先知哈该说： 11“万军之耶和华说，‘你去问祭司律法怎么说， 12如果有人用衣服兜着祭肉，而衣服碰到饼、汤、酒、油或其他食物，这些被衣服碰到的食物会成为圣洁之物吗？’”祭司们答道：“不会。” 13哈该又说：“如果因碰过尸体而变得不洁净的人接触这些食物，这些食物会变得不洁净吗？”祭司答道：“会变得不洁净。” 14于是哈该说：“耶和华说，‘这百姓和这国家在我面前也是如此。他们手中的各样工作和他们在那里所献的都不洁净。’
耶和华应许赐福
15“‘你们现在要回想重建耶和华殿之前的光景。 16那时，有人盼望得到二十斗谷物，却只有十斗。有人盼望得到五十桶酒，榨酒池中却只有二十桶。 17我曾用虫灾、霉灾和冰雹毁灭你们的作物，你们仍没有归向我。这是耶和华说的。 18从今以后，也就是从九月二十四日起，你们要思想耶和华的殿奠基的日子，要认真思想。 19虽然粮仓里没有种子，葡萄树、无花果树、石榴树和橄榄树没结果子，但从今以后，我要赐福给你们。’”
拣选所罗巴伯
20同一天，耶和华第二次对哈该说： 21“你告诉犹大省长所罗巴伯，‘我必震动天地， 22推翻君王的宝座，消灭列国的势力，掀翻他们的战车和驾车的人，使战马跌倒、骑士自相残杀。 23万军之耶和华说，我的仆人——撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯啊，到那日，我必使你作我盖印的戒指，因为我拣选了你。这是万军之耶和华说的。’”
