¶ the twenty first day of the seventh month, came the word of the LORD by the Prophet Aggeus, saying:
speak to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel prince of Iuda, and to Iesua the son of Iosedech the high priest, and to the residue of the people, and say:
Who is left among you, that saw this house in her first beauty? But what think ye now by it? Is it not in your eyes, even as though it were nothing?
Nevertheless be of good cheer, O Zorobabel (sayeth the LORD) be of good comfort, O Iesua thou son of Iosedech, high priest: take good hearts unto you also, all ye people of the land, sayeth the LORD of Hosts
and do according to the word (for I am with you, sayeth the LORD of Hosts) like as I agreed with you, when ye came out of the land of Egypt: and my spirit shall be among you, fear ye not.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: yet once more will I shake heaven and earth, the sea, and the dry land:
Yea I will move all Heathen, and the comfort of all Heathen shall come, and so will I fill this house with honour, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
The silver is mine, the gold is mine, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
Thus the glory of the last house shall be greater than the first, sayeth the LORD of Hosts: and in this place will I give peace, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
¶ The twenty fourth day of the ninth month in the second year of king Darius, came the word of the LORD unto the Prophet Aggeus, saying:
Thus sayeth the LORD God of hosts: Ask the priests concerning the law, and say:
if one bear holy flesh in his coat lape, and with his lappe do touch the bread, potage, wine, oil or any other meat: shall he be holy also? The priests answered and said: No.
Then said Aggeus: Now if one being defiled with a dead carcass, touch any of these: shall it also be unclean?
The Priests gave answer and said: yea, it shall be unclean. Then Aggeus answered, and said: even so is this people and this nation before me, sayeth the LORD: and so are all the works of their hands, yea and all that they offer, is unclean.
And now (I pray you) consider from this day forth, and how it hath gone with you afore: or ever there was laid one stone upon another in the temple of the LORD:
that when ye came to a corn heap of twenty bushels, there were scarce ten: and that when ye came to the wine press for to pour out fifty pots of wine, there were scarce twenty.
For I smote you with heat, blasting and hailstones in all the labours of your hands: yet was there none of you, that would turn unto me, sayeth the LORD.
Consider then from this day forth and afore, namely, from the twenty fourth day of the ninth month, unto the day that the foundation of the LORD's temple was laid: Mark it well,
is not the seed yet in the barn? have not the vines, the fig trees, the pomegranates and the olive trees been yet unfruitful? but from this day forth, I shall make them to prosper.
¶ Moreover the twenty fourth day of the month came the word of the LORD unto Aggeus again saying:
Speak to Zorobabel the prince of Iuda, and say: I will shake both heaven and earth,
and overthrow the seat of the kingdoms, yea and destroy the mighty kingdom of the Heathen. I will overthrow the chariots, and those that sit upon then, so that both horse and man shall fall down, every man thorow his neighbour's sword.
And as for thee, O Zorobabel (sayeth the LORD of Hosts) thou son of Salathiel my servant: I will take thee (sayeth the LORD) at the same time, and make thee as a seal, for I have chosen thee, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
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Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.