Old Testament
The Book of Haggai
The Book of Haggai is the forty-second of the 46 books of the Old Testament: 2 chapters and 38 verses. The Douay-Rheims calls it Aggeus.
About Haggai
About Haggai · Prophetic exhortation
Haggai spoke to the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem and then stalled: fifteen years on, the temple was still rubble while everyone paneled his own house. His four short messages, precisely dated to a few months, shamed and cheered the community into building. The book was written to make a plain point about priorities — seek first the house of God and your own lives will find their blessing — and to promise that this modest second temple would one day hold a glory greater than the first.
| Testament | Old Testament — book 42 of 46, 42 of 73 in the Bible |
|---|---|
| Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) |
| Chapters | 2 |
| Verses | 38, as Bless numbers them |
| In the Douay-Rheims | Aggeus |
| Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter |
| Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 2 chapters · 2 notes |
| Catechism | No references |
Chapter by chapter
All 2 chapters, in brief.
Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.
Haggai 1
14 versesThe people are reproved for neglecting to build the temple. They are encouraged to set about the work.
Haggai 2
24 versesChrist by his coming shall make the latter temple more glorious than the former. The blessing of God shall reward their labour in building. God's promise to Zorobabel.
Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries
Coming up
Read at Mass.
From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Haggai is read at the principal Mass on 2 days in the US calendar. The next 2 readings:
| Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| computed | St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest | First Reading | Haggai 1:1-8 |
| computed | Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | Haggai 2:1-9 |
No more readings are listed here; the liturgical calendar has every date through December 31, 2028.
Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.