New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the LORD gave a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest.
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The LORD's word came through Haggai the prophet in the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month on the first day of the month, to Judah's governor Zerubbabel, Shealtiel's son, and to the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak's son:
2 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD .’”
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This is what the LORD of heavenly forces says: These people say, "The time hasn't come, the time to rebuild the LORD's house."
3 Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai:
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Then the LORD's word came through Haggai the prophet:
4 “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins?
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Is it time for you to dwell in your own paneled houses while this house lies in ruins?
5 This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you!
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So now, this is what the LORD of heavenly forces says: Take your ways to heart.
6 You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes!
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You have sown much, but it has brought little. You eat, but there's not enough to satisfy. You drink, but not enough to get drunk. There is clothing, but not enough to keep warm. Anyone earning wages puts those wages into a bag with holes.
7 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you!
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This is what the LORD of heavenly forces says: Take your ways to heart.
8 Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD .
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Go up to the highlands and bring back wood. Rebuild the temple so that I may enjoy it and that I may be honored, says the LORD.
9 You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses.
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You expect a surplus, but look how it shrinks. You bring it home, and I blow it away, says the LORD of heavenly forces, because my house lies in ruins. But all of you hurry to your own houses.
10 It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops.
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Therefore, the skies above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce because of you.
11 I have called for a drought on your fields and hills—a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”
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I have called for drought on the earth, on the mountains, on the grain, on the wine, on the olive oil, on that which comes forth from the fertile ground, on humanity, on beasts, and upon everything that handles produce.
12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of God’s people began to obey the message from the LORD their God. When they heard the words of the prophet Haggai, whom the LORD their God had sent, the people feared the LORD .
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Zerubbabel, Shealtiel's son, and the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak's son, along with all who remained among the people, listened to the voice of the LORD God and to the words of Haggai the prophet because the LORD their God sent him. Then the people feared the LORD.
13 Then Haggai, the LORD ’s messenger, gave the people this message from the LORD : “I am with you, says the LORD !”
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Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave the LORD's message to the people: I am with you, says the LORD.
14 So the LORD sparked the enthusiasm of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the enthusiasm of Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the enthusiasm of the whole remnant of God’s people. They began to work on the house of their God, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies,
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The LORD moved the spirit of Judah's governor Zerubbabel, Shealtiel's son, and the spirit of the high priest Joshua, Jehozadak's son, and the spirit of all the rest of the people. Then they came and did work on the house of the LORD of heavenly forces, their God,
15 on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign.
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on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king.
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