Haggai 2:13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Haggai 2:10-19

This sermon was preached two months after that in the former part of the chapter. The priests and Levites preached constantly, but the prophets preached occasionally; both were good and needful. We have need to be taught our duty in season and out of season. The people were now going on vigorously with the building of the temple, and in hopes shortly to have it ready for their use and to be employed in the services of it; and now God sends them a message by his prophet, which would be of use... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Haggai 2:10-14

Human duty. "In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the Lord by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus said the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the Law," etc. "On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the same year, that is to say, exactly three months after the congregation had resumed the building of the temple ( Haggai 1:15 ), and about two months after the second prophecy ( Haggai 2:1 ), a new word of the Lord... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Haggai 2:10-17

§ 1 . By an analogy drawn from the Law, Haggai shows that residence in the Holy Land and the offering of sacrifice do not suffice to make the people acceptable, as long as they themselves are unclean through neglect of the house of the Lord. Hence comes the punishment of sterility. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Haggai 2:10-19

Part III . THE THIRD ADDRESS ; THE CAUSE OF THE CALAMITIES WHICH HAD BEFALLEN THE PEOPLE , AND A PROMISE OF BLESSING . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Haggai 2:10-19

The parable of the holy and the unclean. I. THE LETTER OF THE PARABLE . Directed by Jehovah, Haggai proposes two questions to the priests. 1 . Concerning the law of communicated sanctity. Supposing the case of a man carrying in the skirt of his garment holy flesh, i.e. flesh of animals slain in sacrifice, and with his skirt touching bread, pottage, wine, oil, or any meat, the prophet desires to be informed whether the holiness which according to the Law (Le 6:27) was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Haggai 2:10-19

The past and the future. Two months had now elapsed since, stimulated by the prophet's glowing words, the temple builders had resumed their labours (comp. Haggai 2:1 with Haggai 2:10 ). These months were of great importance with reference to agricultural interests, being the usual season for sowing the seed and planting the vines. That at such a time they should manifest so much zest in the work of rebuilding the temple proved how thoroughly in earnest they were; sad this earnestness... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Haggai 2:13

Unclean by a dead body; Septuagint, ἀκάθαρτος ἐπὶ ψυχῇ : Vulgate. pollutus in anima. These versions are closer to the Hebrew, "unclean by a soul," than the Authorized Version, but not so intelligible. "Soul" ( nephesh ) is used to mean a person, and, with the attribute "dead" understood, a corpse, as Le 21:1. The full phrase is found in Numbers 6:6 , Numbers 6:11 . Contact with a dead body produced the gravest ceremonial uncleanness, which lasted seven days, and could be... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Haggai 2:11-14

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 the building of the temple, did not hallow. The... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Haggai 2:10-14

Haggai 2:10-14. In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month At which time, as appears from Haggai 2:16; Haggai 2:19, (the materials being collected,) they began to go on again with the building of the temple. Ask now concerning the law What the law saith in this case. The question was put to the priests, whose office it was to put a difference between holy and unholy, between clean and unclean, Leviticus 10:10: that is, to be thoroughly acquainted with all the ceremonial laws, and... read more

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