Haggai 2:12

12 Suppose someone takes a piece of consecrated meat from a sacrifice and carries it in a fold of his robe. If he then lets his robe touch any bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or any kind of food at all, will it make that food consecrated also?" When the question was asked, the priests answered, "No."

Haggai 2:12 Meaning and Commentary

Haggai 2:12

If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment
Or, "carry" it F17; from one place to another in his pockets or bags, which were in the skirts of his garments. This is to be understood of the flesh of creatures offered in sacrifice, which were sanctified or separated for holy use; part of which belonged to the priests, who might carry it in their pockets to the proper place of eating it: and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or
any meat:
which were not holy, and not separated for holy use, but were common meats and drinks: now the question upon this is, shall it be holy?
that is, if either of those common things were touched by the skirt, in the pockets of which the holy flesh were carried, whether they were made holy by such a touch, and no more remained common or profane? and the priests answered and said, No;
they were not sanctified; for though the garment itself was sanctified thereby, and might not be employed in common use till washed, ( Leviticus 6:27 ) yet a garment so touched could not convey holiness to whatsoever that touched, or that touched it.


FOOTNOTES:

F17 (avy) "portaverit", Munster; "portet", Varenius, Reinbeck.

Haggai 2:12 In-Context

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the second year that Darius was emperor, the Lord Almighty spoke again to the prophet Haggai.
11 He said, "Ask the priests for a ruling on this question:
12 Suppose someone takes a piece of consecrated meat from a sacrifice and carries it in a fold of his robe. If he then lets his robe touch any bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or any kind of food at all, will it make that food consecrated also?" When the question was asked, the priests answered, "No."
13 Then Haggai asked, "Suppose someone is defiled because he has touched a dead body. If he then touches any of these foods, will that make them defiled too?" The priests answered, "Yes."
14 Then Haggai said, "The Lord says that the same thing applies to the people of this nation and to everything they produce; and so everything they offer on the altar is defiled."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.