Haggai 2:11

New Living Translation

"This is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law:

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
"The Lord All-Powerful commands you to ask the priests what the law says about these things:

New American Standard Bible
"The LORD of armies says this: 'Now ask the priests for a ruling:

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

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,

Amplified Bible
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Ask the priests for a ruling:

English Standard Version
"Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law:

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,

English Revised Version
Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

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:

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,

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,

JPS Old Testament (1917)
'Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests for instruction, saying:

King James Version (1611)
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Aske now the priests concerning the law, saying,

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:

Geneva Bible (1587)
Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Aske nowe the Priests concerning the Law, and say,

George Lamsa Translation
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

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,

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,

Good News Translation
He said, "Ask the priests for a ruling on this question:

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
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying,

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,

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:

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 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:

Contextual Overview

¹⁰ On December 18 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. ¹⁵ Look at what was happening to you before you began to lay the foundation of the Lord 's Temple. ¹⁶ When you hoped for a twenty-bushel crop, you harvested only ten. When you expected to draw fifty gallons from the winepress, you found only twenty. ¹⁷ I sent blight and mildew and hail to destroy everything you worked so hard to produce. Even so, you refused to return to me, says the Lord . ¹⁸ "Think about this eighteenth day of December, the day when the foundation of the Lord 's Temple was laid. Think carefully. ¹⁹ I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward 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 descendants of Cush were Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.

Genesis 10:29
Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab. All these were descendants of Joktan.

Genesis 25:18
Ishmael's descendants occupied the region from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt in the direction of Asshur. There they lived in open hostility toward all their relatives.

1 Samuel 15:7
Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east 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.