1 It was the second year that Darius was king of Persia. Jehovah spoke through Haggai the prophet in the sixth month, on the first day of the month. The message was delivered to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and to the High Priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.

2 Jehovah of Hosts said to Haggai: »These people say that this is not the right time to rebuild the Temple.«

3 Then came the word of Jehovah by Haggai the prophet. He said:

4 »Is it time for you to dwell in your roofed and covered houses, while this house is desolate?«

5 Jehovah of Hosts said: »Consider your ways.

6 »You sow much and reap little. You eat but you do not have enough! You drink and yet you are not filled. You clothe yourselves but you are not warm. You earns wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.«

7 Then Jehovah said: »Consider your ways.

8 »Go up to the mountain and bring lumber, and rebuild my house. I will take pleasure in it and I will be glorified,« said Jehovah.

9 »You looked for much harvest and you received little. When you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?« Said Jehovah of Hosts. »Because my house lies in waste, while each of you run to his house.

10 »It is because of you that the sky above you withholds the dew, and the earth below withholds its produce.

11 »I brought drought on the land and its hills, grain fields, vineyards, and olive orchards. Yes drought on every crop the ground produces, on people and animals, on everything you try to grow.«

12 Governor Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest and all the people who returned from the exile in Babylon did what Jehovah God told them to do. They were afraid and obeyed Jehovah’s messenger, Haggai the prophet.

13 Then Haggai gave Jehovah’s message to the people: »I am with you!«

14 Jehovah inspired everyone to work on the Temple. That included: Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah; Joshua, the High Priest, and all the people who had returned from the exile. They worked on the house of Jehovah of Hosts, their God.

15 This was on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month of the second year that Darius was king.