1In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, Yahweh's message came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. It said:
2“This is what Yahweh, the Lord of Armies, says: These people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come for Yahweh’s house to be rebuilt.’”
3Then Yahweh's message came through the prophet Haggai, saying:
4“Is it right for you yourselves to live in your nicely finished houses while this house lies in ruins?
5So now, this is what Yahweh, the Lord of Armies, says: Think carefully about your ways.
6You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but are never full. You drink, but are never satisfied. You put on clothes, but no one is warm. And whoever earns wages puts them into a purse with holes in it.”
7This is what Yahweh, the Lord of Armies, says: “Think carefully about your ways.
8Go up to the mountains, bring down wood, and build the house. I will be pleased with it, and I will be honored,” says Yahweh.
9“You expected much, but look, it amounted to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” says Yahweh, the Lord of Armies. “Because of my house, which lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with your own house.
10Therefore, because of you, the sky has held back its dew and the earth has withheld its produce.
11I sent a drought on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the olive oil, on everything the ground produces, on people, on animals, and on all the work of their hands.”
12Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people, obeyed the voice of Yahweh their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet, because Yahweh their God had sent him. And the people showed reverence for Yahweh.
13Then Haggai, Yahweh’s messenger, delivered Yahweh’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you,” says Yahweh.
14Yahweh motivated Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all the remaining people. So they came and began to work on the house of Yahweh of Armies, their God,
15on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of King Darius.