Haggai 2:21
New International Version
“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

New Living Translation
“Tell Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah, that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth.

English Standard Version
“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth,

Berean Standard Bible
“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:

King James Bible
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

New King James Version
“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: ‘I will shake heaven and earth.

New American Standard Bible
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

NASB 1995
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

NASB 1977
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Legacy Standard Bible
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Amplified Bible
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, ‘I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Christian Standard Bible
“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah: I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

American Standard Version
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

Contemporary English Version
Tell Governor Zerubbabel of Judah that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth

English Revised Version
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Say to Zerubbabel (governor of Judah), 'I am going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Good News Translation
for Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: "I am about to shake heaven and earth

International Standard Version
"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah. Tell him, 'I'm going to shake the heavens and the earth.

Majority Standard Bible
“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth:

NET Bible
Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah: 'I am ready to shake the sky and the earth.

New Heart English Bible
"Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, 'I will shake the heavens and the earth.

Webster's Bible Translation
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

World English Bible
“Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, ‘I will shake the heavens and the earth.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying, I am shaking the heavens and the earth,

Young's Literal Translation
'Speak unto Zerubbabel governor of Judah, saying: I am shaking the heavens and the earth,

Smith's Literal Translation
Say to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I shake the heavens and the earth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Speak to Zorobabel the governor of Juda, saying: I will move both heaven and earth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Speak to Zerubbabel the governor of Judah, saying: I will move both heaven and earth.

New American Bible
Speak to Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah: I will shake the heavens and the earth;

New Revised Standard Version
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth,
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
”Say to Zorbabel, Ruler of Judea: I shall shake Heaven and Earth
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying: I will shake the heavens and the earth;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Speak to Zorobabel the son of Salathiel, of the tribe of Juda, saying, I shake the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Zerubbabel the LORD's Signet Ring
20For the second time that day, the twenty-fourth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to Haggai, saying, 21“Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah that I am about to shake the heavens and the earth: 22I will overturn royal thrones and destroy the power of the kingdoms of the nations. I will overturn chariots and their riders; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother.…

Cross References
Zechariah 4:6-7
So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD of Hosts. / What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a plain. Then he will bring forth the capstone accompanied by shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

Isaiah 13:13
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place at the wrath of the LORD of Hosts on the day of His burning anger.

Jeremiah 51:25
“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, you who devastate the whole earth, declares the LORD. I will stretch out My hand against you; I will roll you over the cliffs and turn you into a charred mountain.

Ezekiel 38:20
The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that crawls upon the ground, and all mankind on the face of the earth will tremble at My presence. The mountains will be thrown down, the cliffs will collapse, and every wall will fall to the ground.

Daniel 2:44
In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will shatter all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself stand forever.

Joel 3:16
The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

Amos 9:9
“For surely I will give the command, and I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations as grain is sifted in a sieve; but not a pebble will reach the ground.

Micah 1:4
The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys will split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.

Nahum 1:5
The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt away; the earth trembles at His presence—the world and all its dwellers.

Matthew 24:29-30
Immediately after the tribulation of those days: ‘The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Mark 13:25-26
the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ / At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Luke 21:25-27
There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves. / Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. / At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

Hebrews 12:26-27
At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.” / The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.

Revelation 6:12-14
And I watched as the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black like sackcloth of goat hair, and the whole moon turned blood red, / and the stars of the sky fell to the earth like unripe figs dropping from a tree shaken by a great wind. / The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

Revelation 16:18-20
And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake the likes of which had not occurred since men were upon the earth—so mighty was the great quake. / The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. And God remembered Babylon the great and gave her the cup of the wine of the fury of His wrath. / Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found.


Treasury of Scripture

Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

Zerubbabel.

Haggai 1:1,14
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, …

1 Chronicles 3:19
And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their sister:

Ezra 2:2
Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

I will.

Haggai 2:6,7
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; …

Psalm 46:6
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.

Ezekiel 26:15
Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is made in the midst of thee?

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Haggai 2
1. He encourages the people to the work,
4. by promise of greater glory to the second temple than was in the first.
10. In the type of holy things and unclean he shows their sins hindered the work.
20. God's promise to Zerubbabel.














Tell Zerubbabel governor of Judah
The name "Zerubbabel" is of Babylonian origin, meaning "seed of Babylon" or "born in Babylon," reflecting the Jewish exile. Zerubbabel was a descendant of David and a leader of the first group of Jews returning from Babylonian captivity. As the "governor of Judah," he held a significant political and spiritual role in the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple. His leadership symbolizes the hope of restoring the Davidic line and the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel. Historically, this period marks a pivotal moment in Jewish history, as the return from exile was a fulfillment of prophetic promises and a testament to God's faithfulness.

that I am going to shake the heavens and the earth
The phrase "shake the heavens and the earth" is a powerful metaphor indicating a divine intervention that will disrupt the current order. In Hebrew, the word for "shake" (רָעַשׁ, ra'ash) conveys a sense of trembling or quaking, often associated with God's presence or judgment. This imagery is reminiscent of the theophany at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18) and is echoed in eschatological prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 13:13, Joel 3:16). Theologically, this shaking signifies God's sovereignty over creation and His ability to alter the course of history. It serves as a reminder of the transient nature of earthly powers and the ultimate establishment of God's kingdom. In the context of Haggai, it reassures the Jewish remnant of God's active role in their restoration and the eventual coming of the Messiah, who will bring about a new order.

Verse 21. - Zerubbabel (see note on Haggai 1:1). I will shake the heavens and the earth. He repeats the prediction of ver. 6 in this chapter (where see note). This is the general statement, expanded and explained in the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Tell
אֱמֹ֕ר (’ĕ·mōr)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Zerubbabel
זְרֻבָּבֶ֥ל (zə·rub·bā·ḇel)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2216: Zerubbabel -- 'begotten in Babylon', a leader of returning Israelite exiles

governor
פַּֽחַת־ (pa·ḥaṯ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6346: A governor

of Judah
יְהוּדָ֖ה (yə·hū·ḏāh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3063: Judah -- 'praised', a son of Jacob, also the southern kingdom, also four Israelites

[that]
לֵאמֹ֑ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

I
אֲנִ֣י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

am about to shake
מַרְעִ֔ישׁ (mar·‘îš)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 7493: To undulate, through fear, to spring

the heavens
הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם (haš·šā·ma·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8064: Heaven, sky

and the earth:
הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land


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OT Prophets: Haggai 2:21 Speak to Zerubbabel governor of Judah saying (Hagg. Hag. Hg)
Haggai 2:20
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