The Command to Build God’s House
1 Inthe second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of theLordcame byHaggai the prophet toZerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and toJoshua the son ofJehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2 “Thus speaks theLordof hosts, saying: ‘This people says, “The time has not come, the time that theLord’s house should be built.” ’ ”
3 Then the word of theLordcame by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 “Isittime for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this templetoliein ruins?”
5 Now therefore, thus says theLordof hosts:“Consider your ways!
6 “You havesown much, and bring in little;
You eat, but do not have enough;
You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
# Andhe who earns wages,
Earns wagestoputinto a bag with holes.”
7 Thus says theLordof hosts: “Consider your ways!
8 Go up to themountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified,” says theLord.
9 “Youlooked for much, but indeeditcametolittle; and when you brought it home,I blew it away. Why?” says theLordof hosts. “Because of My house thatisinruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.
10 Thereforethe heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.
11 For Icalled for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and onall the labor ofyourhands.”
The People’s Obedience
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of theLordtheir God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as theLordtheir God had sent him; and the people feared the presence of theLord.
13 Then Haggai, theLord’s messenger, spoke theLord’s message to the people, saying,“Iamwith you, says theLord.”
14 SotheLordstirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people;and they came and worked on the house of theLordof hosts, their God,
15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.