| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1On 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. | 1In the second year of the reign of Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, stating |
| 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.’” | 2that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’ ” |
| 3Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: | 3Then the word of the LORD came through Haggai the prophet, saying: |
| 4“Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? | 4“Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?” |
| 5This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! | 5Now this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways. |
| 6You 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! | 6You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.” |
| 7“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! | 7This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “Consider carefully your ways. |
| 8Now 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. | 8Go up into the hills, bring down lumber, and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified, says the LORD. |
| 9You 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. | 9You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house. |
| 10It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. | 10Therefore, on account of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth has withheld its crops. |
| 11I 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.” Obedience to God’s Call | 11I have summoned a drought on the fields and on the mountains, on the grain, new wine, and oil, and on whatever the ground yields, on man and beast, and on all the labor of your hands.” |
| 12Then 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. | 12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God and the words of the prophet Haggai, because the LORD their God had sent him. So the people feared the LORD. |
| 13Then Haggai, the LORD’s messenger, gave the people this message from the LORD: “I am with you, says the LORD!” | 13Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD. |
| 14So 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, | 14So the LORD stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, as well as the spirit of all the remnant of the people. And they came and began the work on the house of the LORD of Hosts, their God, |
| 15on September 21 of the second year of King Darius’s reign. | 15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius. |
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