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Blessings Promised for Obedience

10 On December 18[a] of the second year of King Darius’s reign, the Lord sent this message to the prophet Haggai: 11 “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law: 12 ‘If one of you is carrying some meat from a holy sacrifice in his robes and his robe happens to brush against some bread or stew, wine or olive oil, or any other kind of food, will it also become holy?’”

The priests replied, “No.”

13 Then Haggai asked, “If someone becomes ceremonially unclean by touching a dead person and then touches any of these foods, will the food be defiled?”

And the priests answered, “Yes.”

14 Then Haggai responded, “That is how it is with this people and this nation, says the Lord. Everything they do and everything they offer is defiled by their sin.

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Footnotes

  1. 2:10 Hebrew On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar (similarly in 2:18). This event occurred on December 18, 520 B.c.; also see note on 1:1a.

God’s Promise to His Sinful People

10 On the twenty-fourth day[a] of the ninth month[b] of the second year of the reign of[c] King Darius, this message from the Lord came to Haggai the prophet: 11 “This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘Ask the priests about what the Law says: 12 “If a man carries consecrated meat in the folds of his garment, and if his garment touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other edible thing,[d] will these things become consecrated?”’”[e]

The priests answered, “No.”

13 So Haggai responded, “If someone who is unclean[f] because of contact with a dead body were to touch any of these things, would they become unclean?”[g]

The priests responded, “They would be unclean.”[h]

14 Then Haggai answered, “‘That’s how I look at this people and this nation,’ declares the Lord. ‘And that’s how it is with everything they undertake[i] and with what they offer there—it is unclean.[j]

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Footnotes

  1. Haggai 2:10 The Heb. lacks day
  2. Haggai 2:10 The Heb. lacks month
  3. Haggai 2:10 The Heb. lacks the reign of
  4. Haggai 2:12 Lit. or all food
  5. Haggai 2:12 Or holy
  6. Haggai 2:13 I.e. ritually defiled
  7. Haggai 2:13 I.e. ritually defiled
  8. Haggai 2:13 I.e. ritually defiled
  9. Haggai 2:14 Lit. with every work of their hands
  10. Haggai 2:14 I.e. ritually defiled