Haggai 2:13

13 Then said Haggai, "If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered, "It does 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 the priests to decide this question,

12 'If one carries holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and touches with his skirt bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?'" The priests answered, "No."

13 Then said Haggai, "If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?" The priests answered, "It does become unclean."

14 Then Haggai said, "So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

15 Pray now, consider what will come to pass from this day onward. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the temple of the LORD,