1In the second year of the reign of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, this word of the LORD came by Haggai, the prophet, to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. The NLT begins verse 1 with “On August 29 of the second year of King Darius’s reign…”; and the Amplified Bible reads: “on the first day of the sixth month (Aug 29, 520 B.C.)…”. An event in the Bible is rarely identified with a specific calendar day, as these 2 translations do in dating Haggai’s prophecy. Zerubbabel (introduced in verse 1), is a grandson of King Jehoiachin, and a descendant of King David. He was born in Babylon during the exile, and returned to Judah when King Cyrus allowed the exiles to return and rebuild the Temple. He was appointed governor of Judah by the Persian king. 2Thus says the LORD Almighty: “This people say, ‘The time has not yet come, the time that the LORD's Temple should be built.’” 3Then this word of the LORD came by Haggai, the prophet: 4“Is it time for you to be living in your paneled houses, while this, My Temple, lies waste?” 5Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Consider your ways. 6You have planted much, and harvested little; you eat, but are not satisfied; you drink, but are still thirsty; you clothe yourselves, but are not warm; and you earn wages only to put them into a bag with holes.” 7This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give thought to your ways. 8Go up to the mountain, and bring down timber, and rebuild My Temple; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be honored”, says the LORD. 9“You expected much and, it turned out to be little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? Because My Temple remains in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house. 10Therefore, because of you, the heavens above withhold the dew, and the earth withholds her fruit. 11And I called for a drought upon the fields, and the mountains, and on the grain, upon the new wine, the oil, and upon all that the ground brings forth, also upon men, cattle, and all the labor of your hands.” 12Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the rest of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD, their God, and the message of Haggai, the prophet, whom the LORD, their God, had sent; and the people reverenced the LORD. 13Then Haggai, the LORD's messenger, gave this message from the LORD to the people: “I am with you”, says the LORD. 14And the LORD stirred the spirit of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the rest of the people; and they came and began to work on the Temple of the LORD Almighty, their God, 15On the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.
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