Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 6th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

Haggai 2:11

"This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: ‘Ask the priests for a teaching.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Zechariah, book of;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Consecrate;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Haggai;   Priest;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Haggai;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Zerubbabel;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Haggai ;   Zerubbabel ;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Haggai;   Joshua (3);   Priests and Levites;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Exodus, Book of;   Nomism;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“This is what the Lord of Armies says: Ask the priests for a ruling.
Hebrew Names Version
"Thus says the LORD of Hosts: Ask now the Kohanim concerning the law, saying,
King James Version (1611)
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Aske now the priests concerning the law, saying,
King James Version
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
English Standard Version
"Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law:
New American Standard Bible
"The LORD of armies says this: 'Now ask the priests for a ruling:
Amplified Bible
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Ask the priests for a ruling:
Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Aske nowe the Priests concerning the Law, and say,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Ask now the priests for a ruling:
Legacy Standard Bible
"Thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Ask now the priests about the law:
Berean Standard Bible
"This is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'Ask the priests for a ruling.
Contemporary English Version
to ask the priests for their opinion on the following matter:
Complete Jewish Bible
"Here is what Adonai -Tzva'ot says: ‘Ask the cohanim what the Torah says about this:
Darby Translation
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests [concerning] the law, saying,
Easy-to-Read Version
"The Lord All-Powerful commands you to ask the priests what the law says about these things:
George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
Good News Translation
He said, "Ask the priests for a ruling on this question:
Lexham English Bible
"Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Ask now the priests for a ruling:
Literal Translation
So says Jehovah of Hosts: Now ask the priests the Law, saying,
American Standard Version
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
Bible in Basic English
These are the words of the Lord of armies: Put now a point of law to the priests, saying,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests for instruction, saying:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Thus sayth the Lord God of hoastes, Aske nowe ye priestes [concernyng] the lawe, saying:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
On the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to Aggaeus the prophet, saying,
English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
World English Bible
"Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Axe thou preestis the lawe, and seie thou,
Update Bible Version
Thus says Yahweh of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,
Webster's Bible Translation
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Ask now the priests [concerning] the law, saying,
New English Translation
"The Lord who rules over all says, ‘Ask the priests about the law.
New King James Version
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying,
New Living Translation
"This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law:
New Life Bible
"The Lord of All says, ‘Ask the religious leaders to decide about this:
New Revised Standard
Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests for a ruling:
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, - I pray you, ask the priests a direction, saying:
Douay-Rheims Bible
(2-12) Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests the law, saying:
Revised Standard Version
"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests to decide this question,
Young's Literal Translation
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: `Ask, I pray thee, the priests [of] the law, saying:
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Thus saieth ye LORDE God of hoostes: Axe the prestes concernynge the lawe, & saye:

Contextual Overview

10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month in the second year Darius was king, the Lord spoke his word to Haggai the prophet, saying, 11 "This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: ‘Ask the priests for a teaching. 12 Suppose a person carries in the fold of his clothes some meat made holy for the Lord . If that fold touches bread, cooked food, wine, olive oil, or some other food, will that be made holy?'" The priests answered, "No." 13 Then Haggai said, "A person who touches a dead body will become unclean. If he touches any of these foods, will it become unclean, too?" The priests answered, "Yes, it would become unclean." 14 Then Haggai answered, "The Lord says, ‘This is also true for the people of this nation. They are unclean, and everything they do with their hands is unclean to me. Whatever they offer at the altar is also unclean. 15 "‘Think about this from now on! Think about how it was before you started laying stones on top of stones to build the Temple of the Lord . 16 A person used to come to a pile of grain expecting to find twenty basketfuls, but there were only ten. And a person used to come to the wine vat to take out fifty jarfuls, but only twenty were there. 17 I destroyed your work with diseases, mildew, and hail, but you still did not come back to me,' says the Lord . 18 ‘It is the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, the day in which the people finished working on the foundation of the Temple of the Lord . From now on, think about these things: 19 Do you have seeds for crops still in the barn? Your vines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not given fruit yet. But from now on I will bless you!'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Leviticus 10:10, Leviticus 10:11, Deuteronomy 33:10, Ezekiel 44:23, Ezekiel 44:24, Malachi 2:7, Titus 1:9

Reciprocal: Leviticus 13:3 - shall look Deuteronomy 17:8 - arise Deuteronomy 17:9 - the priests Ezekiel 22:26 - put no Zechariah 7:3 - speak

Cross-References

Genesis 10:7
The sons of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.
Genesis 10:29
Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these people were the sons of Joktan.
Genesis 25:18
His descendants lived from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt stretching toward Assyria. They often attacked the descendants of his brothers.
1 Samuel 15:7
Then Saul defeated the Amalekites. He fought them all the way from Havilah to Shur, at the border of Egypt.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 possession of a truly tiring does not counterbalance disobedience. Contrariwise, one defilement defiled the whole man and all which he touched, according to that James 2:10, “whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

In the application, the two melt into one, for the holy thing, namely, the altar which they raised out of fear on their return, so far from hallowing the land or people by the sacrifices offered thereon, was itself defiled. “This people” and “this nation” (not “My people”) since they in act disowned Him. “Whatever they offer there,” i. e., on that altar, instead of the temple which God commanded, is unclean, offending Him who gave all.


 
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