1 In the second year of the reign of king Darius, on the first day of the sixth month,* Thought to be in 520 BC. the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest.

2 The Lord Almighty says this: the people say, “This isn't the proper time to rebuild the Lord's house.”

3 Then the Lord sent a message through the prophet Haggai, saying,† The use of quotation marks is avoided once again as it is confusing to open and close them when the Lord refers to himself speaking. It is also at times hard to determine which are the Lord's words and those of the prophet who is speaking for him. See also footnote for Isaiah 1:2. 4 Is it the proper time for you to live in your paneled houses while this house‡ Referring to the ruined Temple. remains a ruin? 5 So the Lord Almighty says this: Think about what you're doing! 6 You have sown much but harvested little. You eat but you're still hungry. You drink but you're still thirsty. You put on clothes but you're still cold. You work hard to earn money but put it in a bag full of holes.§ An early example of inflation... 7 The Lord Almighty says this: Think about what you're doing! 8 Go into the hills and bring wood to build the house. This will please me and honor me, says the Lord. 9 You were hoping for so much, but look, it turned out to be so little. Everything you brought home I blew away. And why was that? Because my house remains a ruin while you are preoccupied with building your own houses, declares the Lord Almighty. 10 That's why the clouds of heaven refused to send rain, and the earth refused to produce crops. 11 I called for a drought on the land, on the hills, on the grain fields, on the vineyards, and on the olive groves—on whatever the earth produces—and on people and livestock, on everything you do!

12 Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, together with all the remaining people, paid attention to what the Lord said, and to the words of Haggai the prophet that the Lord their God had sent. The people showed reverence before the Lord.

13 Then Haggai, the Lord's messenger, delivered this message from the Lord telling the people, I am with you! says the Lord.

14 The Lord inspired Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people. They came and began work on the house of the Lord Almighty. 15 This happened on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of the reign of king Darius.