Haggai 2:11

11 The Lord God of hosts saith these things, Ask thou priests the law, and say thou, (The Lord God of hosts saith these things, Ask thou the priests about the Law, and say thou,)

Haggai 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

Haggai 2:11

Thus saith the Lord of hosts
To Haggai the prophet: ask now the priests [concerning] the law;
whose business it was to understand it, and teach it, and to answer questions, and resolve doubts concerning it; not of their own heads, and according to their fancies, will, and pleasure; but according to the rules and instructions given in the word of God: and as this was their office, they were the proper persons to apply to; and Haggai, though a prophet, is sent to the priests to propose questions to them; though it may be not so much for his own information, as for the conviction of the priests of their impurity, out of their own mouths, and of the people by them: saying;
putting the following questions to them.

Haggai 2:11 In-Context

9 The glory of this last house shall be great, more than of the first, saith the Lord of hosts. And in this place I shall give peace, saith the Lord of hosts. (The glory of this latter House, or of this Temple, shall be greater than that of the first House, saith the Lord of hosts. And I shall give thee peace and prosperity in this place, saith the Lord of hosts.)

10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of king Darius, the word of the Lord was made to Haggai, the prophet, and said, (On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of King Darius, the word of the Lord was made to the prophet Haggai, and said,)

11 The Lord God of hosts saith these things, Ask thou priests the law, and say thou, (The Lord God of hosts saith these things, Ask thou the priests about the Law, and say thou,)

12 If a man taketh hallowed flesh in the hem of his clothing, and toucheth of the highness thereof bread, either pottage, either wine, either oil, either any meat, whether it shall be hallowed? Soothly priests answered, and said, Nay. (If a person taketh consecrated meat in the hem of his clothing, and with part of his clothes toucheth any bread, or broth, or wine, or oil, or any other meat, shall that thing become consecrated, or sanctified? And the priests answered, and said, No.)

13 And Haggai said, If a man defouled in soul toucheth of all these things, whether it shall be defouled? And priests answered, and said, It shall be defouled. (And then Haggai asked, If a person with a defiled soul toucheth any of these things/If a person who hath touched a dead body toucheth any of these things, shall that thing then become defiled? And the priests answered, and said, Yea, it shall be defiled.)