Haggai 2:13

13 Then Haggai said, "¹If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" And the priests answered, "It will become unclean."

Haggai 2:13 Meaning and Commentary

Haggai 2:13

Then said Haggai
To the priests; having nothing to object to their answer; but being satisfied with it, he puts another question: if [one that is] unclean by a dead body;
by the touch of it, ( Numbers 19:11 ) : touch any of these, shall it be unclean?
that is, if such an impure person, who was so in a ceremonial sense, should touch any of the above things, bread, pottage, wine, or oil, or any meat, would not they become unclean thereby, and so not fit for use? and the priests answered and said, it shall be unclean;
which was rightly answered; for whatsoever such an unclean person touched was unclean, according to the law, ( Leviticus 19:22 ) . Pollution is more easily and more extensively conveyed than holiness.

Haggai 2:13 In-Context

11 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Ask now the priests for a ruling:

12 'If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?' " And the priests answered, "No."

13 Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" And the priests answered, "It will become unclean."

14 Then Haggai said, " 'So is this people. And so is this nation before Me,' declares the LORD , 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

15 'But now, do consider from this day onward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the LORD ,

Cross References

• 1. Leviticus 22:4-6; Numbers 19:22

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "soul"