Chagai

Chapter 1

1In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, YHWH’s word came by Chagai the prophet, to Zerubavel the son of She'altiel, governor of Yehudah, and to Yehoshua the son of Yehotzadak, the high priest, saying, 2“This is what YHWH Tzeva'ot says: These people say, ‘The time hasn’t yet come, the time for YHWH’s house to be built.’” 3Then YHWH’s word came by Chagai the prophet, saying, 4“Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, while this house lies waste? 5Now therefore this is what YHWH Tzeva'ot says: ‘Consider your ways. 6You have sown much, and bring in little. You eat, but you don’t have enough. You drink, but you aren’t filled with drink. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes in it.’ 7“This is what YHWH Tzeva'ot says: ‘Consider your ways. 8Go up to the mountain, bring wood, and build the house. I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified,” says YHWH. 9“You looked for much, and, behold, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says YHWH Tzeva'ot, “Because of my house that lies waste, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10Therefore for your sake the heavens withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit. 11I called for a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on that which the ground produces, on men, on livestock, and on all the labour of the hands.” 12Then Zerubavel the son of She'altiel and Yehoshua the son of Yehotzadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed YHWH their Elohim’s voice, and the words of Chagai the prophet, as YHWH their Elohim had sent him; and the people feared YHWH. 13Then Chagai, YHWH’s messenger, spoke YHWH’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says YHWH. 14YHWH stirred up the spirit of Zerubavel the son of She'altiel, governor of Yehudah, and the spirit of Yehoshua the son of Yehotzadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of YHWH Tzeva'ot, their Elohim, 15in the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

Chapter 2

1In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, YHWH’s word came by Chagai the prophet, saying, 2“Speak now to Zerubavel the son of She'altiel, governor of Yehudah, and to Yehoshua the son of Yehotzadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 3‘Who is left amongst you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing? 4Yet now be strong, Zerubavel,’ says YHWH. ‘Be strong, Yehoshua son of Yehotzadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says YHWH, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says YHWH Tzeva'ot. 5This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Mitzrayim, and my Ruach lived amongst you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ 6For this is what YHWH Tzeva'ot says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; 7and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says YHWH Tzeva'ot. 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says YHWH Tzeva'ot. 9‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says YHWH Tzeva'ot; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says YHWH Tzeva'ot.” 10In the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, YHWH’s word came by Chagai the prophet, saying, 11“YHWH Tzeva'ot says: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 12‘If someone carries kodesh meat in the fold of his garment, and with his fold touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any food, will it become kodesh?’” The priests answered, “No.” 13Then Chagai said, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.” 14Then Chagai answered, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before me,’ says YHWH; ‘and so is every work of their hands. That which they offer there is unclean. 15Now, please consider from this day and backward, before a stone was laid on a stone in YHWH’s Beit HaMikdash. 16Through all that time, when one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty, there were only twenty. 17I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet you didn’t turn to me,’ says YHWH. 18‘Consider, please, from this day and backward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, since the day that the foundation of YHWH’s Beit HaMikdash was laid, consider it. 19Is the seed yet in the barn? Yes, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree haven’t produced. From today I will bless you.’” 20YHWH’s word came the second time to Chagai in the twenty-fourth day of the month, saying, 21“Speak to Zerubavel, governor of Yehudah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth. 22I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms. I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overthrow the chariots and those who ride in them. The horses and their riders will come down, everyone by the sword of his brother. 23In that day, says YHWH Tzeva'ot, I will take you, Zerubavel my servant, the son of She'altiel,’ says YHWH, ‘and will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ says YHWH Tzeva'ot.”