1 In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest:
2 Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say, "The time has not come, the time for the house of the LORD to be built."
3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet:
4 Is this the time for you, you yourselves, to be living in houses with paneled walls, while this house stands in ruins?
5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Set your heart on your ways.
6 You have planted plenty and brought in little; you eat, but not your fill; you drink, but not enough to be merry; you get dressed, but there is no warmth for anyone; and the hired man earns his pay only to drop it in a bag full of holes.
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Set your heart on your ways.
8 Climb up into the hills, fetch timber and rebuild the house; then I will be pleased with it and I will be honored, says the LORD.
9 You expected much, but see, it turned out little; what you brought home I blew away. And why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because my house lies desolate while every one of you hurries off to his own house.
10 That is why the sky over you has kept back its dew and the land has kept back its crops.
11 I have summoned drought upon land and mountains, upon grain, new wine and oil, upon whatever the soil produces, upon people and animals, and upon everything your hands work at.
12 Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, along with the whole remnant of the people, listened to the voice of the LORD their God and to the words of the prophet Haggai, since the LORD their God had sent him; and the people were in awe of the LORD.
13 Haggai, the LORD's messenger, then gave the people the LORD's message: I am with you, declares the LORD.
14 So the LORD roused the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people, and they came and set to work on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
15 on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.