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Ye looked for much, and lo, it came to little; and when yc brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man into his own house. Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth is stayed from her fruit.

And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and 'upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their GOD, and the words of Haggai the prophet, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people did fear before the LORD.

Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.

And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubabbel the son of Shealtiel governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts their GOD;

In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in the second year of Darius the king.

In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, Speak now to Zerubabbel the son of Shealtiel governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,

Who is left among you that saw this house in her

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first glory; and how do ye see it now? is it not in eyes in comparison of it as nothing?

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Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua son of Josedech the high priest: and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you saith the Lord of hosts:

According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

This prophecy is in such very plain language, that it needs no comment. One thing, however, is particularly worthy of observation, viz. that those pious people, whose zeal for the honour of the LORD made them melt into tears when they recollected the splendor of the for mer Temple were comforted with an assurance, that the glory of the second Temple should exceed that of the first. The accomplishment of this prophecy will be shewn in a future part of this history.

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LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.

Thus the prophet Haggai, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of Josedech, and began to build the house of GOD which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

ANNOTATIONS AND REFLECTIONS.

The Jews, thus reproved and encouraged, soon set about the building again, under the divine favour and protection. How merciful and gracious was the LORD in all his dispensations, towards his people Israel!

SECTION LXVII.

CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS.

From Ezra, Chap. v, vi.

Ar the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

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Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

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The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this

side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side of the river. sent unto Darius the king.

They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great GOD, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.

Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

We asked their names also to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

And thus they returned us answer saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of GOD.

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of GOD, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor:

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And said unto him, Take these vessels, go carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of GOD be builded in his place.

Then came the same Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and : since that time even until now, hath it been in building and yet it is not finished.

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written,

In the first year of Cyrus the king, the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of GOD at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber and let the expences be given out of the king's house.

And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of Gop, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth.out. of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God..

Now therefore, Tatnai governor beyond the river,

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