1In the seventh month , in the one and twentieth day of the month , came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai , saying , 2Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel , governor of Judah , and to Joshua the son of Josedech , the high priest , and to the residue of the people , saying , 3Who 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? 4Yet now be strong , O Zerubbabel , saith the LORD ; and be strong , O Joshua , son of Josedech , the high priest ; and be strong , all ye people of the land , saith the LORD , and work : for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts : 5According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt , so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not. 6For thus saith the LORD of hosts ; Yet once , it is a little while , and I will shake the heavens , and the earth , and the sea , and the dry land; 7And 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 . 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts . 9The 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 .
The Promise of Future Glory
10In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month , in the second year of Darius , came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet , saying , 11Thus saith the LORD of hosts ; Ask now the priests concerning the law , saying , 12If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment , and with his skirt do touch bread , or pottage , or wine , or oil , or any meat , shall it be holy ? And the priests answered and said , No. 13Then said Haggai , If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean ? And the priests answered and said , It shall be unclean . 14Then 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 . 15And 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 : 16Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures , there were but ten : when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press , there were but twenty . 17I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands ; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD . 18Consider 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 . 19Is 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 .
The Significance of Holiness
20And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month , saying , 21Speak to Zerubbabel , governor of Judah , saying , I will shake the heavens and the earth ; 22And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms , and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen ; and I will overthrow the chariots , and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down , every one by the sword of his brother . 23In that day , saith the LORD of hosts , will I take thee, O Zerubbabel , my servant , the son of Shealtiel , saith the LORD , and will make thee as a signet : for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts .