Haggai 2:14

Haggai 2:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the Lord; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.
• New International Version (NIV)Then Haggai said, “ ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then Haggai answered and said, "So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the Lord, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

Context of Haggai 2:14

12If a man carries meat that is holy [because it has been offered in sacrifice to God] in the fold of his garment, and he touches bread, or cooked food, or wine, or oil, or any [kind of] food with this fold, does what he touches become holy [dedicated exclusively to God’s service]?’ ” And the priests answered, “No!” [Holiness is not transferrable.] 13Then Haggai said, “If one who is [ceremonially] unclean because of [contact with] a corpse touches any of these [articles of food], will it be unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will be unclean.” [Ceremonial uncleanness, like sin, is infectious.] Then Haggai answered, “ ‘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 [on the altar] is unclean [because they who offer it are unclean]. 15But now, do consider [what will happen] from this day forward: before one stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord, 16from that time when one came to a grain heap expecting twenty measures, there would be only ten; and when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures, there would be only twenty.

Haggai 2:14 word by word

וַיַּ֨עַן חַגַּ֜י וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֵּ֣ן הָֽעָם־הַ֠זֶּה וְכֵן־הַגּ֨וֹי הַזֶּ֤ה לְפָנַי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְכֵ֖ן כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יְדֵיהֶ֑ם וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר יַקְרִ֛יבוּ שָׁ֖ם טָמֵ֥א הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• Haggaiחַגַּיchaggay · HaggaiH2292
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• this nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me, saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• every workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• of their handsיָדyâd · handH3027
• and that which they offerקָרַבqârab · to present: bringH7126
• uncleanטָמֵאţâmê' · uncleanH2931

Cross-references for Haggai 2:14

• Haggai 1:4“Is it time for you yourselves to live in your [expensive] paneled houses while this house [of the Lord] lies in ruins?”
• Proverbs 15:8The sacrifice of the wicked is hateful and exceedingly offensive to the Lord, But the prayer of the upright is His delight!
• Proverbs 21:4Haughty and arrogant eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked [their self-centered pride], is sin [in the eyes of God].
• Proverbs 28:9He who turns his ear away from listening to the law [of God and man], Even his prayer is repulsive [to God].
• Isaiah 1:11“What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me [without your repentance]?” Says the Lord. “I have had enough of [your] burnt offerings of rams And the fat of well-fed cattle [without your obedience]; And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls or lambs or goats [offered without repentance].
• Jude 1:23save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy but with fear, loathing even the clothing spotted and polluted by their shameless immoral freedom.
• Ezra 3:2Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God.

Commentaries on Haggai 2:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Then answered Haggai - So is this people - As an unclean man communicates his uncleanness to every thing he touches, so are ye unclean; and whatever ye have hitherto done is polluted in the sight of God. For your neglect of my temple has made you unclean, as if you had contracted legal pollution by touching a dead body.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 11-14Verses 11-14 Ask now the priests concerning the law - The priests answer rightly, that, by the law, insulated unholiness spread further than insulated holiness. The flesh of the sacrifice hallowed whatever it should touch, but not further; but the human being, who was defiled by touching a dead body, defiled all he might touch Numbers 19:22. Haggai does not apply the first part; namely, that the worship on the altar which they reared, while they neglected…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-19Verses 10-19 Many spoiled this good work, by going about it with unholy hearts and hands, and were likely to gain no advantage by it. The sum of these two rules of the law is, that sin is more easily learned from others than holiness. The impurity of their hearts and lives shall make the work of their hands, and all their offerings, unclean before God. The case is the same with us. When employed in any good work, we should watch over ourselves, lest we…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14So it is with this people: Simply returning from exile to the land God promised Israel did not make the people of Judah holy. They were still unclean because they did not follow God's covenant instructions. Their work and worship were tainted by impurity. The ruins of the Lord’s temple symbolized their disobedience. Rebuilding the temple was a clear sign of changed hearts and renewed obedience to God's covenant.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. Then answered Haggai--rather, "Then Haggai answered (in rejoinder to the priests' answer) and said" [Maurer]. so is this people--heretofore not in such an obedient state of mind as to deserve to be called My people (Tit 1:15). Here he applies the two cases just stated. By the first case, "this people" is not made "holy" by their offerings "there" (namely, on the altar built in the open air, under Cyrus, Ezr 3:3); though the ritual sacrifice can…Read the comment

Topics related to Haggai 2:14

• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Haggai
• Comparison
• Desire
• Press
• Defile; Defilement
• Joshua (3)

Commentaries on Haggai 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings