Haggai 2:13
New International Version
Then Haggai said, “If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?” “Yes,” the priests replied, “it becomes defiled.”

New Living Translation
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.”

English Standard Version
Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.”

Berean Standard Bible
So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered.

King James Bible
Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

New King James Version
And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these things, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.”

NASB 1995
Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.”

NASB 1977
Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered and said, “It will become unclean.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?” And the priests answered, “It will become unclean.”

Amplified Bible
Then 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.]

Christian Standard Bible
Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled? ” The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Haggai asked, “If someone defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” The priests answered, “It becomes defiled.”

American Standard Version
Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

Contemporary English Version
Then Haggai said, "Suppose someone has touched a dead body and is considered unacceptable to worship God. If that person touches these foods, would they become unclean?" "Of course they would," the priests answered.

English Revised Version
Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Haggai asked, "Suppose a person becomes unclean by touching a corpse. If he touches any of these things, does that make them unclean?" The priests answered, "That makes them unclean."

Good News Translation
Then Haggai asked, "Suppose someone is defiled because he has touched a dead body. If he then touches any of these foods, will that make them defiled too?" The priests answered, "Yes."

International Standard Version
So Haggai responded, "If someone who is unclean because of contact with a dead body were to touch any of these things, would they become unclean?" The priests responded, "They would be unclean."

Majority Standard Bible
So Haggai asked, ?If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?? ?Yes, it becomes defiled,? the priests answered.

NET Bible
Then Haggai asked, "If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?" The priests answered, "It will be unclean."

New Heart English Bible
Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?" The priests answered, "It will be unclean."

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body shall touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

World English Bible
Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean by reason of a dead body touch any of these, will it be unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Haggai says, “If the unclean of body comes against any of these, is it unclean?” And the priests answer and say, “It is unclean.”

Young's Literal Translation
And Haggai saith, 'If the unclean of body doth come against any of these, is it unclean?' And the priests answer and say, 'It is unclean.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Haggai will say, If the unclean of soul shall touch upon any of these, shall it be unclean? and the priests shall answer and say, It shall be unclean.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Aggeus said: If one that is unclean by occasion of a soul touch any of all these things, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered, and said: It shall be defiled.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Haggai said, “If the polluted in soul will have touched any of all these things, shall it be contaminated?” And the priests responded and said, “It shall be contaminated.”

New American Bible
Then Haggai asked: “If a person defiled from contact with a corpse touches any of these, do they become defiled?” The priests answered, “They become defiled.”

New Revised Standard Version
Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered, “Yes, it becomes unclean.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then said Haggai, If one who is unclean touches all these things, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Khaggi said: ”If he who has defiled himself touched all these things, is he not defiled? the Priests answered and they said to him: “He is defiled”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Then said Haggai: 'If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?' And the priests answered and said: 'It shall be unclean.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Aggaeus said, If a defiled person who is unclean by reason of a dead body, touch any of these, shall it be defiled? And the priests answered and said, It shall be defiled.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Blessings for a Defiled People
12If a man carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and it touches bread, stew, wine, oil, or any other food, does that item become holy?’ ” “No,” replied the priests. 13So Haggai asked, “If one who is defiled by contact with a corpse touches any of these, does it become defiled?” “Yes, it becomes defiled,” the priests answered. 14Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.…

Cross References
Leviticus 10:10
You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean,

Numbers 19:11-13
Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. / He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. / Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel. He remains unclean, because the water of purification has not been sprinkled on him, and his uncleanness is still on him.

Leviticus 5:2-3
Or if a person touches anything unclean—whether the carcass of any unclean wild animal or livestock or crawling creature—even if he is unaware of it, he is unclean and guilty. / Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything by which one becomes unclean—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty.

Leviticus 7:19-21
Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. As for any other meat, anyone who is ceremonially clean may eat it. / But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people. / If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus 22:4-6
If a descendant of Aaron has a skin disease or a discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is clean. Whoever touches anything defiled by a corpse or by a man who has an emission of semen, / or whoever touches a crawling creature or a person that makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be— / the man who touches any of these will remain unclean until evening. He must not eat from the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.

Numbers 19:22
Anything the unclean person touches will become unclean, and anyone who touches it will be unclean until evening.”

Isaiah 52:11
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; come out from it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

Ezekiel 44:23
They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.

Leviticus 15:31
You must keep the children of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die by defiling My tabernacle, which is among them.

2 Corinthians 6:17
“Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

Matthew 23:27-28
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. / In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.

Mark 7:2-5
and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed. / Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially. / And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining. ...

Luke 11:44
Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”

Romans 14:14
I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual acts, / nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor verbal abusers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. / And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.

Numbers 5:2,3
Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: …

Numbers 9:6-10
And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: …

Numbers 19:11-22
He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days…

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Body Contact Corpse Dead Defiled Haggai Latter Priests Reason Touch Touches Touching Unclean
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Body Contact Corpse Dead Defiled Haggai Latter Priests Reason Touch Touches Touching Unclean
Haggai 2
1. He encourages the people to the work,
4. by promise of greater glory to the second temple than was in the first.
10. In the type of holy things and unclean he shows their sins hindered the work.
20. God's promise to Zerubbabel.














If someone defiled by contact with a corpse
In the Hebrew context, the word "defiled" (טָמֵא, tame) refers to a state of ritual impurity. According to the Mosaic Law, contact with a corpse was one of the most severe forms of defilement (Numbers 19:11-13). This impurity required a specific purification process, emphasizing the seriousness of death as a consequence of sin. Theologically, this highlights the separation between life and death, purity and impurity, and ultimately, between God and sin. The defilement by a corpse serves as a metaphor for the pervasive nature of sin and its ability to contaminate what is holy.

touches any of these
The act of touching in Hebrew (נָגַע, naga) implies a transfer of impurity. In the ancient Near Eastern context, physical contact was a common means of transferring both blessings and curses, purity and impurity. This reflects the tangible nature of holiness and sin in the Old Testament, where physical actions often had spiritual implications. The phrase "any of these" refers to the holy offerings and objects mentioned earlier in the chapter, underscoring the principle that holiness cannot be transferred, but impurity can.

does it become defiled?
This rhetorical question posed by Haggai to the priests serves to illustrate a fundamental principle of the Law: impurity is more easily transferred than purity. The question challenges the priests to consider the nature of holiness and defilement, prompting reflection on the spiritual state of the people and their offerings. It underscores the need for vigilance in maintaining purity and the ease with which sin can corrupt.

The priests answered, 'It becomes defiled.'
The priests' response confirms their understanding of the Law and the nature of defilement. Their answer reflects the teachings of Leviticus and Numbers, where the spread of impurity is a significant concern. This acknowledgment by the religious leaders serves as a reminder of the pervasive impact of sin and the need for continual purification and repentance. It also highlights the role of the priesthood in guiding the people in matters of holiness and purity, pointing to the ultimate need for a perfect High Priest, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who can cleanse from all defilement.

(13) Unclean.--The defilement incurred by contact with a dead body was one of the deepest. (See Numbers 19:11-16.) On the force of the term tme nephesh, compare the passages Leviticus 21:11; Leviticus 22:4; Numbers 6:6.

Verse 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 Leviticus 21:1. The full phrase is found in Numbers 6:6, 11. Contact with a dead body produced the gravest ceremonial uncleanness, which lasted seven days, and could be purged only by a double lustration and other rites (Numbers 19:11, etc.). This uncleanness was doubtless connected with the idea that death was the result of sin. Any of these. The things mentioned in the preceding verse. It shall be unclean. In accordance with Numbers 19:22 A polluted human being communicated his pollution to all that he touched. It was owing to the defilement that accompanied contact with the dead that the later Jews used to whiten the sepulchres every year, that they might be seen and avoided (Matthew 23:27, and Lightfoot, 'Her. Hebr.' in loc.).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Haggai
חַגַּ֔י (ḥag·gay)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2292: Haggai -- 'festal', a Hebrew prophet

asked,
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

[one who is] defiled
טְמֵא־ (ṭə·mê-)
Adjective - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2931: Unclean

by contact with a corpse
נֶ֛פֶשׁ (ne·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

touches
יִגַּ֧ע (yig·ga‘)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5060: To touch, lay the hand upon, to reach, violently, to strike

any
בְּכָל־ (bə·ḵāl)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

of these,
אֵ֖לֶּה (’êl·leh)
Pronoun - common plural
Strong's 428: These, those

does it become defiled?”
הֲיִטְמָ֑א (hă·yiṭ·mā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

“Yes, it becomes defiled,”
יִטְמָֽא׃ (yiṭ·mā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2930: To be or become unclean

the priests
הַכֹּהֲנִ֛ים (hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest

answered.
וַיַּעֲנ֧וּ (way·ya·‘ă·nū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond


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OT Prophets: Haggai 2:13 Then Haggai said If one who (Hagg. Hag. Hg)
Haggai 2:12
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