Study Desk

Cry in a loud voice, you people who live in the part of the city where people buy and sell. For all the traders of Canaan will be destroyed. All who weigh out silver will be cut off.

Their silver and gold will not be able to save them on the day of the Lord's anger. All the earth will be destroyed in the fire of His jealousy. For all at once He will make an end of all the people of the earth.

Look for the Lord, all you people of the earth who are not proud, and who have obeyed His Laws. Look for what is right and good. Have no pride. You may be kept safe on the day of the Lord's anger.

For Gaza will be left empty. Ashkelon will be laid waste. Ashdod's people will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be pulled up by the roots.

It is bad for the people who live by the sea, the nation of the Cherethites! The Word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you so that no people will be left living in you.

The land by the sea will be open fields, a place for shepherds and fences for sheep.

The land by the sea will be for those left of the people of Judah. They will let their flocks eat there. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord their God will care for them and return their riches.

This is the city that is full of joy and takes it easy and thinks it is safe. It says to itself, "I am, and there is no one else." How it has become a waste, a resting place for animals! All who pass by will make fun of her and laugh at her shaking their hands.

It is bad for her who does not obey and is unclean, the city who makes it hard for the people!

Her leaders are lions that make a loud noise. Her judges are wolves at evening. They leave nothing for the morning.

I said, ‘For sure you will honor Me with fear and receive teaching.' Then her place would not be destroyed and she would not be punished as I had planned. But they were quick to make all their works sinful.

"So wait for Me," says the Lord, "for the day when I stand up to speak. I have decided to gather nations together to pour My burning anger upon them. All the earth will be destroyed by the fire of My jealous anger.

On that day you will not be put to shame because of all the works you have done against Me. For then I will take away all your people who find joy in their pride. And you will never be proud again on My holy mountain.

I will gather those who have sorrow for the special days, and take away their shame.

At that time I will punish all those who made it hard for you. I will save those who cannot walk and gather those who have been driven away. And I will turn their shame into praise. They will be known all over the earth.

On the first day of the sixth month in the second year of Darius the king, the Word of the Lord came to Haggai. The Word was for Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, ruler of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the head religious leader, saying,

"Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your houses with walls covered with wood, while this house lies waste?"

"You look for much, but it turns out to be little. When you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?" says the Lord of All. "Because My house lies waste, while each of you takes care of his own house.

I have called for a time without rain on the land, on the mountains, on the grain, on the new wine, on the oil, on the vegetables, on men, on cattle, and on all the work of your hands."

Then Haggai the man of God spoke for the Lord to the people, saying, "I am with you," says the Lord.