Haggai 2:11 kjv
Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
Haggai 2:11 nkjv
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying,
Haggai 2:11 niv
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Ask the priests what the law says:
Haggai 2:11 esv
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law:
Haggai 2:11 nlt
"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law:
Haggai 2 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 10:11 | "...you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord... | Priests as teachers of God's statutes. |
| Deut 33:10 | "They shall teach Jacob Your ordinances, And Israel Your law." | Priestly role in teaching the Law. |
| Ezek 44:23 | "They shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean." | Priests distinguishing pure from impure. |
| Mal 2:7 | "For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth..." | Priestly duty to uphold and teach the Law. |
| Zec 7:3 | "Should I mourn in the fifth month and fast, as I have done for so many years?" | Question asked to priests for legal guidance. |
| Neh 8:8 | "They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear..." | Teaching and clarifying the Law. |
| Hag 2:12 | "If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment..." | Immediately following, demonstrating the law's application. |
| Hag 2:13 | "If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these..." | Immediately following, demonstrating spread of impurity. |
| Hag 2:14 | "So is this people, and so is this nation before me, declares the Lord..." | Application of purity laws to the people's actions. |
| Lev 11:44 | "For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy." | God's demand for holiness. |
| Num 19:11 | "Whoever touches the body of any person shall be unclean for seven days." | Example of ceremonial impurity. |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof..." | All Scripture (Law included) is divine instruction. |
| Isa 29:13 | "This people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me..." | Critiques outward observance without heart. |
| Tit 1:15 | "To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and unbelieving, nothing is pure..." | Purity is often a matter of the heart. |
| Rom 7:12 | "So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good." | The Law's intrinsic holiness. |
| Matt 23:23 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith..." | Jesus' critique of legalistic focus without heart transformation. |
| Amos 8:11 | "Behold, days are coming...when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread...but of hearing the words of the Lord." | Consequences of lacking divine instruction. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword..." | Power and authority of God's word. |
| 1 Pet 1:15-16 | "But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'" | Command for New Testament believers to pursue holiness. |
| Ps 119:105 | "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." | Guidance found in God's Law. |
Haggai 2 verses
Haggai 2 11 Meaning
Haggai 2:11 initiates a divine inquiry concerning ritual purity, presented through the authority of the Levitical priests. The Lord of hosts commands Haggai to seek specific instruction from the priests regarding the Law. This directive sets the stage for a crucial lesson on how ritual impurity (defilement) spreads contagiously, while holiness does not readily transmit in the same manner. It underscores God's meticulous concern for holiness in the lives and actions of His people, especially concerning their worship and service.
Haggai 2 11 Context
Haggai chapter 2 picks up after the initial fervor of temple building has waned. The people of Judah and Jerusalem, who had returned from exile, began the reconstruction, but then focused on their own homes while the Temple lay unfinished for years (Hag 1:4). The initial message of Haggai 1 focused on their misaligned priorities and resulting spiritual and material barrenness. Chapter 2 offers encouragement concerning the future glory of the Temple (Hag 2:1-9) but then shifts in verses 10-19 to address their ongoing spiritual impurity. Haggai 2:11 is the pivotal point where the Lord directs Haggai to formally consult the priests on a matter of Torah (Law). This sets the legal precedent and foundation for the following pronouncements (Hag 2:12-14), which reveal the surprising principle: holiness is not easily transmitted, but impurity contaminates with ease. This direct question through the prophet challenges any assumptions of automatic blessing or holiness due to superficial ritual or incomplete obedience.
Haggai 2 11 Word analysis
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
- Significance: A foundational prophetic formula (Hebrew: כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, koh amar Yahweh Ts'vaot). It unequivocally establishes divine origin and absolute authority of the message.
- Lord of hosts (YHWH Ts'vaot): Emphasizes God's sovereignty over all creation, heavenly armies, and human affairs. It implies irresistible power and an unfailing purpose. His commands carry ultimate weight. This title often appears in contexts of judgment or profound intervention.
Ask now:
- Significance: Hebrew imperative (שְׁאַל נָא, sh'al na). The "now" (na) adds immediacy and urgency to the command. It implies that a precise, immediate understanding from the custodians of the Law is required for the people's current spiritual state.
the priests:
- Significance: Refers to the Levitical priesthood, specifically those serving in the Temple. Their prescribed role (Deut 33:10, Mal 2:7) was to instruct the people in God's Law, mediate between God and man, and distinguish between clean and unclean, holy and common.
- Context: In the absence of a fully functioning Temple or king, the priests' spiritual authority as interpreters of Torah remained paramount for the exiles. The very act of commanding Haggai to "ask" them affirms their designated authority within God's covenant structure.
concerning the law:
- Significance: Hebrew Torah (תּוֹרָה). While often translated as "law," Torah fundamentally means "instruction" or "teaching." It encompasses not just legal statutes but God's entire revealed will for life, worship, and ethical conduct.
- Implication: The question that follows (in vv. 12-13) will be rooted in the Mosaic Law concerning purity and defilement, principles crucial for proper Temple worship and covenant faithfulness. It implies the need for precise application of divine instruction.
Words-group analysis:
- "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law": This full phrase is a formal prophetic indictment and directive. It demonstrates that God is initiating the inquiry, not the prophet or the people. God holds the priests responsible for knowing and dispensing accurate legal rulings, especially on matters affecting the spiritual integrity of the community and its worship. This highlights God's expectation for both His prophets to deliver His message and His priests to uphold and teach His Word accurately. The structure ensures no human element originates the upcoming difficult truths, reinforcing their divine origin and imperative nature.
Haggai 2 11 Bonus section
The specific nature of the question Haggai is instructed to ask the priests (found in verses 12-13) is a powerful didactic tool. Instead of simply proclaiming the people's defilement, God uses a hypothetical scenario about the transfer of ritual purity versus impurity, prompting the priests themselves to state the truth based on the Torah. This ensures the priests' understanding and agreement, validating the divine judgment that follows in verse 14. This method avoids accusations of mere prophetic pronouncement and anchors the indictment firmly in the established covenantal legal framework, demonstrating God's consistent standard and His faithfulness to His own Law. It's a subtle but powerful polemic against any perception that "going through the motions" of building the temple would automatically cleanse them or make them acceptable without genuine spiritual repentance and adherence to all God's Law.
Haggai 2 11 Commentary
Haggai 2:11 serves as a divinely ordered legal consultation. God, the ultimate Authority, directs His prophet Haggai to consult the human arbiters of the Mosaic Law – the priests. This is not because God doesn't know the answer, but to engage the people within the covenant structure of the Torah and to expose their misconception regarding holiness and impurity. The coming legal clarification will expose a profound spiritual truth: ceremonial purity, like genuine spiritual holiness, is not easily transferred or "caught" simply by proximity to sacred objects or activities. Conversely, defilement, much like sin, spreads quickly and extensively. This principle is directly applicable to their present situation: despite starting to build the Temple, their spiritual priorities were still askew, and their "holy" labor on the Temple could not purify their contaminated intentions and actions. Superficial acts of piety without true heart transformation cannot sanctify defiled lives; rather, a defiled heart will pollute even their ostensibly good works.