2. “Speak, please, to Zerubbaḇel son of She’alti’ĕl, governor of Yehuḏah, and to Yehoshua son of Yehotsaḏaq, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
3. ‘Who is there left among you who saw this House in its former esteem? And how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes as naught when compared to it?
4. ‘And now, be strong, Zerubbaḇel,’ declares יהוה. ‘And be strong, Yehoshua, son of Yehotsaḏaq, the high priest. And be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares יהוה, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares יהוה of hosts –
5. the Word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Mitsrayim, and My Spirit is remaining in your midst, do not fear!’
6. “For thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘Once more, in a little while, and I am shaking the heavens and earth, the sea and dry land.
7. ‘And I shall shake all the nations, and they shall come to the Delight of all the nations, and I shall fill this House with esteem,’ said יהוה of hosts.
8. ‘The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine,’ declares יהוה of hosts.
9. ‘Let the esteem of this latter House be greater than the former,’ said יהוה of hosts. ‘And in this place I give peace,’ declares יהוה of hosts.”
10. On the twenty-fourth of the ninth month, in the second year of Dareyawesh, the word of יהוה came unto Ḥaggai the prophet, saying,
11. “Thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the Torah, saying,
12. “If one bears set-apart meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, or wine or oil, or any food, is it set-apart?” ’ ” And the priests answered and said, “No.”
13. And Ḥaggai said, “If someone defiled by a dead body touches any of these, is it defiled?” And the priests answered and said, “It is defiled.”