(Ezra 5:1–5)
1
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, a word of YHWH has been by the hand of Haggai the prophet, to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, saying,
2
“Thus spoke YHWH of Hosts, saying, This people—they have said, || The time has not come, || The time the house of YHWH [is] to be built.”
3
And there is a word of YHWH by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying,
4
“Is it time for you to dwell in your covered houses, || And this house to lie waste?”
5
And now, thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Set your heart to your ways.
6
You have sown much, and brought in little, || To eat, and not to satiety, || To drink, and not to drunkenness, || To clothe, and none has heat, || And he who is hiring himself out, || Is hiring himself for a bag pierced through.”
7
Thus said YHWH of Hosts: “Set your heart to your ways.
8
Go up the mountain, and you have brought in wood, || And build the house, and I am pleased with it. And I am honored,” said YHWH.
9
“Looking for much, and behold, little, || And you brought [it] home, and I blew on it—why?” A declaration of YHWH of Hosts, || “Because of My house that is desolate, || And you are running—each to his house,
10
Therefore, over you the heavens have refrained from dew, || And the land has refrained its increase.
11
And I proclaim drought on the land, || And on the mountains, and on the grain, || And on the new wine, and on the oil, || And on what the ground brings forth, || And on man, and on beast, || And on all labor of the hands.”
The People Obey
12
And Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, and all the remnant of the people, listen to the voice of their God YHWH, and to the words of Haggai the prophet, as their God YHWH had sent him, and the people are afraid of the face of YHWH.
13
And Haggai, messenger of YHWH, in messages of YHWH, speaks to the people, saying, “I [am] with you, a declaration of YHWH.”
14
And YHWH stirs up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people, and they come in, and work in the house of YHWH of Hosts their God,
15
in the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.
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