Haggai
From the Greek Septuagint
About
Haggai is the record of the prophecy given to the Prophet Haggai.
It’s a message to the people of JeruSalem, given about 22 years after the first batch of refugees returned to the land of IsraEl after the deportation to Babylon. It concerns the need to rebuild God’s Temple.
Source
We’ve translated it from Greek Septuagint manuscripts dating from the 300s AD; that makes our sources about 600 years older than the traditional Hebrew text used by other Bibles. Learn why.
Translation
- Known and suspected fake words and phrases commonly included in popular translations are
[greyed-out], followed by a link to our spurious texts article. - Alternative translations and editor notes appear [like this].
- Text that’s missing from our source manuscript, but filled in from another source, is marked with [[double brackets]].
- Prophetic books often include not two, but three voices: That of the prophet, the messenger (often called the Lord), and God Himself. Most other translations do not understand this, causing confusion. Learn more.
- Where text appears to be poetry (or was translated from poetry), we’ve tried to recreate a poetic cadence. Learn more.
- All circumlocutions for God’s Name appear as '[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”'. You can change this to '[Yahweh]' or “Lord” in your settings.
- Many names use CamelCase to show where they contain references to different Gods, e.g. IsaiAh, JeruSalem, etc. Learn why. You can toggle these on or off in your settings.
- The original texts had no chapter or verse numbers, paragraph breaks, line breaks, margins, punctuation, or capital letters. These are all added for clarity, but be aware that they can sometimes subtly alter the meaning. Learn more.
- Words [inserted] by the translator for clarity are always in [brackets]. These are not part of the original source text. Learn more.
1
1In the 2nd year [of the reign] of King Darius, in the 6th month and on the 1st day of the month, The Word of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” came by the hand of HagGai the prophet and said:
‘Speak to ZerubBabel son of ShealtiEl from the tribe of Judah and to JoShua (son of JoZadek) the High Priest, and tell them 2that [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty says this:
‘These people say that the time isn’t right
To rebuild the Temple of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.’
3Then the Word of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” went on to say this through the hands of HagGai the prophet:
4[‘For God says:]
‘Is it, indeed, the right time
For you men to live in nice houses,
While this Temple is lying in ruins?
5‘And now,’ says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty,
‘Arrange your hearts for the ways you must go!
6For you plant a lot, but you don’t harvest much;
You eat, but not ‘til you’re full;
You drink, but not ‘til you’re drunk;
You wear clothes that don’t keep you warm;
And those to whom you’ve paid wages
Keep them in bags full of holes.’
7‘So, thus says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty:
‘Get your hearts ready to travel,
8And go to the mountains to cut the wood
With which you’ll rebuild My Temple.
For, if you choose to do this,
I’ll think well of you,
Because that would glorify Me,’ says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.
9‘Now you look for much [but find] little,
And after you carry it home,
I just blow it away.
This happens, says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty,
Because you’ve abandoned My Temple
While you each [repair] your own homes.
10So the sky is withholding its dew,
And the ground is withholding its blessings.
11‘Therefore, to your land and its mountains;
Also, to your oil and your grain,
And to the ground that brings wine to men,
I will be sending the sword!
I’ll also send the sword to your cattle,
And [to the things that you make with] your hands.’
12Well, ZerubBabel (son of ShealtiEl) from the tribe of Judah, and JoShua (son of JoZadek) the High Priest (as well as all the rest of the people) listened to the voice of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” their God and to the words of HagGai the prophet – to all [the words] that [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” their God had sent to them – and the people became fearful before [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.
13Then HagGai, one of the messengers of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”, told the people this:
‘[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” says:
‘I am with you!’
14So after that, [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” awakened the spirit of ZerubBabel (son of ShealtiEl) from the tribe of Judah, the spirit of JoShua (son of JoZadek) the High Priest, and the spirits of the rest of the people, and they went to work on the Temple of their God [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty!
15They started [the project] on the 24th day of the 6th month in the 2nd year [of the reign] of King Darius.
2
1Then on the 21st day of the 7th month, the Word of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” came again by the hand of HagGai the prophet.
He said:
2‘Speak to ZerubBabel (son of ShealtiEl) of the tribe of Judah, and to JoShua the High Priest (son of JoZadek), and to all the rest who are left there, and ask them this [from [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”]:
3‘Who among you had seen this Temple
In [the days of] its glory?
Do you see what it has become…
It no longer exists here before you!
4‘So ZerubBabel, you must be strong,’ says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”;
And High Priest JoShua, you must be strong…
And you people of the land must also be strong;
For, if you choose to [obey Me],
I will be there with you,’
‘…says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty.
5‘This is the same thing that I said to [your fathers]
When they were fleeing from Egypt…
And then, I sent them my breath.
So now, you must also show courage!’
6‘For, thus says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty:
‘Once again, I will shake the lands and the skies,
As well as the seas and dry ground.
7I will also shake all the nations,
And My chosen ones will return…
Then I’ll fill this Temple with glory!’
‘…says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty.
8‘For, all the silver is Mine,
And all the gold is Mine also…’
‘…says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty.
9‘So the glory of this Temple will be greater…
The last will be greater than the first!’
‘…says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty.
‘And to this place, I’ll bring peace…’
‘…says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty…
‘Peace that will save all the lives
Of those who rebuild this Temple.’
10Then it was on the 24th day of the 9th month in the 2nd year of Darius that these words came from the [messenger of the] Lord to HagGai the prophet.
He told them that 11[Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” the Almighty said this:
‘Ask the Priests [this question] concerning the Law:
12‘If a man should touch holy meat
With just the edge of his clothes,
And the edge of his clothes should thereafter touch
Bread, stew, wine, or olive oil
(Or any other such food);
Would it make those things holy?’
And all the Priests replied:
‘No!’
13Then HagGai asked:
‘But, if they should touch a dead person,
Would any of these things still be clean?’
And the Priests replied:
‘[No, they’d] be defiled!’
14Then HagGai told them that this is what [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” said:
‘So it will be of these people
(Of this nation that stands here before Me
And of the works of their hands)…
Those who come here will all be defiled
If they’re more concerned about their own [homes]!
‘Such ones should rather be grieving
About the wicked things that they have done;
For they have hated [the prophets]
That scolded them at their gates.
15‘So, take [these words] to your hearts from this day
Before laying stone upon stone
To [rebuild] the Temple of [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”:
16‘Remember when you went to your stores
To get 20 measures of barley
And found there were only 10 measures?
Or, when you went to the wine vat
To draw 50 measures [of wine]
And found there were just 20 measures?
17‘Well, I am the One who had struck you
With this lack of production…
[I am the One who struck] the works of your hands
And sent hail and strong wind upon you,
Because you refused to turn back to Me, says [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.
18‘So, keep this in your hearts from this day…
From the 24th day and 9th month…
From the day the Temple’s foundation was laid…
Yes, store it deep in your hearts!
19‘Will the threshing-floor still [be empty]? No!
And will the grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, or olives
Fail to put out their fruit? No!
Because, from this day, I will bless them!’
20Then the Word of the [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord” came to HagGai the prophet a second time [that day] (on the 24th day of the month), and he said:
21‘Speak to ZerubBabel (son of ShealtiEl) of the tribe of Judah, and this is what you must tell him:
‘I will shake the ground and the sky,
As well as the sea and dry land.
22Then I will wipe away the thrones of the kings
And I will destroy all the power
Of the nations [that are living around you]!
‘Their chariots and horsemen will be wiped away…
Their horses and horsemen will fall,
And they’ll each turn their swords on their brothers.
23‘O ZerubBabel,
‘On this day, I’ve chosen you as My servant,’
‘…says the Almighty [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.
‘I’ve established you as a seal,
For you’re the one whom I’ve chosen.’
‘…says the Almighty [Jehovah][Yahweh]“Lord”.’
Public Domain
This particular version of the translated text is public domain.
It will soon be replaced with a significantly updated version which will be freely available under a Creative Commons license.