The Book of the Prophet Haggai 2 Reproof and Promise of Blessing

 The Book of the Prophet Haggai 2

Reproof and Promise of Blessing

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying:

11 Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying:

12 If a man carries holy meat in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any other food, will it become holy? And the priests answered and said, “No.”

13 Then Haggai said, “If a man who has become unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these things, will it become unclean?” And the priests answered and said, “It will become unclean.”

14 Then Haggai answered and said, “So it is with this people, and so it is with this nation before me, declares the Lord; and so it is with every work of their hands, and everything that they offer there is unclean.”

15 Now therefore, consider this from this day forward, before you lay one stone upon another in the temple of the Lord.

16 After that time, someone came to a heap of twenty measures, and there were only ten; and someone came to the winepress to draw fifty, and there were only twenty.

17 I struck you with blight, mildew, and hail in all the work of your hands; yet none of you returned to me, declares the Lord.

18 Therefore, I beg you, from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider these things.

19 Is there still seed in the barn? The vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate tree, and the olive tree have not yielded their fruit; but from this day I will bless you.