1 Haggai Begins Temple Building In the second year ofDarius the Great ruled Persia (capital city, Persepolis) from 522-486 b.c. He was an avid builder who used paid workers for his projects instead of slaves, a concept which at that time was revolutionary. He was a gifted visionary, and an energetic king whose social and economic goals endured and greatly benefited both his subjects and future generations. He developed efficient highways, standardized coinage, weights, measures, and he promoted religious tolerance and human rights.Darius the king [of Persia], on the first day of the sixth month (Aug 29, 520..), the word of the Lcame by Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
2 “Thus says the Lof hosts: ‘These people say, “The time has not come that the L’house (temple) should beThe people of Judah had completed seventy years of captivity in Babylon (Jer 25:11, 12; Dan 9:2). In October 539 b.c., the Medes and Persians conquered Babylon, whereupon Cyrus the Great (founder of the Persian Empire, his reign extended from 559-529 b.c.) issued a decree permitting the Jews to return home and mandating the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). Some 50,000 returned (Ezra 2:64, 65) and shortly thereafter laid the foundation of the temple (Ezra 3:8-10), but when neighboring Samaritans antagonized the Jews, work on the temple stopped and the temple work lay dormant for some sixteen years. It was during the reign of Darius the Great that Haggai and Zechariah rebuked the people and admonished them to complete the temple. The people responded and the temple was completed in 516 b.c.rebuilt.” ’ ”
3 Then the word of the Lcame by Haggai the prophet, saying,
4 “Is it time for you yourselves to live in your [expensive] paneled houses while this house [of the L] lies in ruins?”
5 Now therefore, thus says the Lof hosts, “Consider your waysandthoughtfully reflect on your conduct!
6 You have planted much, but you harvest little; you eat, but you do not haveenough;you drink, but you do not haveenoughto be intoxicated; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warmenough;and he who earns wages earns themjust to putthem in a bag with holes in it [because God has withheld His blessing].”
7 Thus says the Lof hosts, “Consider your waysandthoughtfully reflect on your conduct!
8 Go up to the hill country, bring lumber and rebuild My house (temple), that I may be pleased with it and be glorified,” says the L[accepting it as done for My glory].
9 “You look for much [harvest], but it comes to little; and even when you bring that home, I blow itaway. Why?” says the Lof hosts. “Because of My house, which lies in ruins while each of you runs to his own house [eager to enjoy it].
10 Therefore, because of you [that is, your sin and disobedience] the heavens withhold the dew and the earth withholds its produce.
11 I called for a drought on the land and the hill country, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on what the ground produces, on men, on cattle, and on all the labor of your hands.”
12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people [who had returned from exile], listened carefullyandobeyed the voice of the Ltheir God and the words of Haggai the prophet, since the Ltheir God had sent him. And the people [reverently] feared the L.
13 Then Haggai, the L’messenger, spoke the L’message to the people saying, “ ‘I am with you,’ declares the L.”
14 So the Lstirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the Lof hosts, their God,
15 on theJust twenty-three days elapsed from the original prophecy and the resumption of work on the temple.twenty-fourth day of the sixth month (Sept 21, 520..) in the second year of Darius the king.