Haggai 2:12

KJV

If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

KJV (with Strong's)

If one {H376} bear {H5375} holy {H6944} flesh {H1320} in the skirt {H3671} of his garment {H899}, and with his skirt {H3671} do touch {H5060} bread {H3899}, or pottage {H5138}, or wine {H3196}, or oil {H8081}, or any meat {H3978}, shall it be holy {H6942}? And the priests {H3548} answered {H6030} and said {H559}, No.

Complete Jewish Bible

if someone carries meat that has been set aside as holy in a fold of his cloak; and then he lets his cloak touch bread, stew, wine, olive oil or any other food; does that food become holy too?'" The cohanim answered, "No."

Berean Standard Bible

If 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.

American Standard Version

If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any food, shall it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Haggai 2:12 presents a profound theological principle through a question posed to the priests concerning the nature of holiness and defilement under the Old Covenant. It illustrates that while ceremonial uncleanness is easily transmitted by contact, holiness is not similarly contagious; rather, it is a quality divinely imparted and maintained, not spread through mere physical association with sacred objects. The priests' immediate and correct "No" underscores this foundational truth, setting the stage for a contrasting lesson on the pervasive nature of defilement.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is part of a series of divine instructions and rhetorical questions delivered through the prophet Haggai to the post-exilic community in Judah, specifically targeting the priests as interpreters of the Mosaic Law. Following God's rebuke for their neglect of Temple rebuilding and their focus on personal dwellings, which resulted in spiritual and material barrenness (as seen in [Haggai 1:6](/haggai/1-6 "Haggai 1:6 - Scattering Much and Bringing in Little")), Haggai 2 shifts to address the people's discouragement and spiritual state. Chapters 1 and 2 of [Haggai](/haggai/1 "The Book of Haggai") serve to motivate the people to resume and complete the rebuilding of the Second Temple, assuring them of God's presence and future glory. The questions in [Haggai 2:10-14](/haggai/2-10-14 "Haggai 2:10-14 - The Law of Holiness and Defilement") are designed to expose a misunderstanding among the people regarding the efficacy of their rituals and the true nature of their spiritual condition, leading directly into the declaration that their current efforts and offerings are defiled due to their disobedience.

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The historical setting is approximately 520 BC, nearly two decades after the first wave of Jewish exiles returned from Babylonian captivity under Zerubbabel and Joshua. The initial fervor for rebuilding the Temple had waned, replaced by apathy and self-interest. The people were experiencing poor harvests and economic hardship, which God attributes to their misplaced priorities. The priests, as custodians of the Law, were crucial figures in religious life, responsible for teaching the people God's statutes, particularly those concerning ritual purity and sacrifice. The questions posed by Haggai draw directly from the [Levitical laws](/leviticus/1 "The Book of Leviticus - Laws of Holiness") concerning clean and unclean, which governed every aspect of Israelite life and worship. Understanding these laws was vital for the functioning of the Temple and the spiritual well-being of the community.

* **Key Themes:** The central theme explored in [Haggai 2:12](/haggai/2-12 "Haggai 2:12 - The Non-Contagious Nature of Holiness") is the **Nature of Holiness vs. Defilement**. This verse establishes the principle that holiness is not easily transferable or contagious by mere physical contact. Unlike defilement, which spreads readily (as explicitly stated in the subsequent verse, [Haggai 2:13](/haggai/2-13 "Haggai 2:13 - The Contagious Nature of Defilement")), holiness is a quality that originates from God and is specifically consecrated. It highlights **God's Strict Standards for Purity**, emphasizing that external rituals or proximity to sacred objects do not automatically confer a holy status. Instead, the verse subtly points towards the **Pervasiveness of Sin and Uncleanness**, suggesting that it is far easier to become defiled than to become holy, thereby underscoring the need for genuine spiritual purity and obedience, rather than mere outward adherence to religious forms.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **flesh (Hebrew, _bâsâr'_):** This term (H1320) refers to the physical substance of an animal, often specifically "holy flesh" from sacrifices, which was consecrated to God. In this context, it denotes the sacred meat from offerings that only priests were permitted to eat in a holy place, emphasizing its set-apart nature.
* **skirt (Hebrew, _kânâph'_):** This word (H3671) literally means "wing" or "extremity," but in the context of garments, it refers to the "flap" or "hem" of a robe. Here, it signifies the part of a garment that might come into contact with other objects, highlighting the potential for transfer of spiritual states.
* **touch (Hebrew, _nâgaʻ'_):** This verb (H5060) means "to lay the hand upon" or "to reach." It describes the physical contact between the garment bearing holy flesh and various common food items, serving as the critical action in the hypothetical scenario designed to test the transferability of holiness.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment":** This sets up the hypothetical scenario. "Holy flesh" refers to the consecrated meat from a sacrifice, which was intrinsically holy and set apart for God. The "skirt of his garment" represents the closest possible contact an ordinary item (the garment) could have with something sacred. The question posits whether this close proximity could transfer holiness.
* **"and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?":** This clause extends the hypothetical. If the garment, having touched holy flesh, then touches common, non-sacred items (bread, soup, wine, oil, or any other food), does the holiness of the flesh transfer through the garment to these items, making them also holy? This probes the limits and nature of holiness transmission.
* **"And the priests answered and said, No.":** The priests, as the authoritative interpreters of the Mosaic Law, immediately and correctly answer in the negative. Their response confirms the established legal principle that holiness, unlike defilement, does not spread by contact. This authoritative answer validates the divine principle God is teaching through Haggai.

#### Literary Devices
Haggai 2:12 prominently employs a **Rhetorical Question** ("shall it be holy?"), which is immediately answered by the priests. This technique engages the audience directly, prompting them to consider the underlying theological principle. The question functions as a form of **Legal Casuistry**, presenting a hypothetical case based on established Mosaic Law to illustrate a specific point about ritual purity. The verse also utilizes **Contrast**, setting up the principle that holiness is not contagious, which is then starkly contrasted in the very next verse ([Haggai 2:13](/haggai/2-13 "Haggai 2:13 - The Contagious Nature of Defilement")) with the principle that defilement *is* highly contagious. This juxtaposition powerfully highlights the ease with which one can become unclean versus the difficulty of becoming holy.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The theological principle unveiled in Haggai 2:12 is foundational to understanding the nature of holiness in the Old Covenant: holiness is not a transferable commodity that can be spread through mere physical contact. It is a quality inherent to God and imparted by His specific declaration and consecration. While sacred objects and spaces were set apart, their holiness did not automatically "rub off" on common items. This stands in stark contrast to the pervasive nature of defilement, which could easily spread through contact with an unclean person or object. This distinction underscored humanity's inherent inability to achieve holiness through external means or proximity to sacred things, pointing instead to the necessity of divine intervention for true purity. The people of Haggai's day were learning that their outward religious activities and sacrifices, if performed with defiled hearts or in a state of disobedience, would not make them or their efforts holy.

* [Leviticus 6:27](/leviticus/6-27 "Leviticus 6:27 - Holiness of Sacrifices")
* [Numbers 19:22](/numbers/19-22 "Numbers 19:22 - Spreading of Uncleanness")
* [Psalm 51:10](/psalm/51:10 "Psalm 51:10 - A Clean Heart")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Haggai 2:12 carries profound spiritual implications for believers today, challenging any notion that spiritual purity or favor with God can be attained through mere association with sacred things, religious rituals, or even proximity to holy people. We cannot make ourselves or anything else truly holy through our own efforts or by simply "touching" the sacred. True holiness, or sanctification, is not a contagious physical property but a transformative work of God's Spirit within our lives, setting us apart for His purposes. This verse subtly teaches that while holiness is divinely imparted and cannot be "caught," sin and spiritual defilement are indeed highly contagious and easily spread, like a little leaven that leavens the whole lump ([Galatians 5:9](/galatians/5-9 "Galatians 5:9 - The Leaven of Sin")). Our spiritual state is not made clean by what we touch, but by God's grace and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The message to the post-exilic Jews, and to us, is that outward religious activity or proximity to sacred things is insufficient if the heart and actions are not aligned with God's will. God desires genuine holiness, which He alone can impart and which must stem from an obedient and pure heart.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what ways might I be tempted to believe that external religious activities or associations can automatically confer spiritual purity or favor?**
* **How does the principle that holiness is not contagious challenge my understanding of sanctification in my own life?**
* **Considering the ease with which defilement spreads (as implied by this verse's contrast), what areas of my life do I need to guard more diligently against the pervasive influence of sin?**

### FAQ
**Why did God ask the priests this question, since they already knew the answer?**

Answer: God asked the priests this rhetorical question not because He or Haggai lacked knowledge, but to engage them as the authoritative interpreters of the Law and to use their correct answer as a foundation for a deeper spiritual lesson. By having the priests confirm the established legal principle, God validated the truth He was about to reveal: that while holiness does not spread by contact, defilement does. This setup was crucial for the people to understand why their current efforts and sacrifices were not pleasing to God, despite their outward religious activity. It served to expose their spiritual blindness and to prepare them for the subsequent declaration of their defiled state (as seen in [Haggai 2:14](/haggai/2-14 "Haggai 2:14 - Defilement of the People and Their Works")).

**What is "holy flesh" in this context?**

Answer: "Holy flesh" refers to the meat from certain animal sacrifices that had been consecrated to God under the Mosaic Law. These portions were considered sacred and could only be eaten by the priests, and then only in a holy place, such as within the Temple courts (e.g., [Leviticus 6:29](/leviticus/6-29 "Leviticus 6:29 - Eating of Holy Offerings")). It was intrinsically set apart for divine purposes, representing a direct offering to God. The question in Haggai 2:12 explores whether the sacredness of this flesh could be transferred to common items through indirect contact via a garment.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Haggai 2:12, with its declaration that holiness is not contagious, finds its ultimate fulfillment and reversal in Jesus Christ. Under the Old Covenant, contact with holy things did not make one holy, but contact with unclean things made one defiled. This highlighted humanity's inherent inability to bridge the gap to God's perfect holiness. However, Jesus, the embodiment of perfect holiness, radically inverted this principle. Instead of being defiled by contact with the unclean, His touch brought cleansing and healing. When He touched lepers ([Matthew 8:3](/matthew/8-3 "Matthew 8:3 - Jesus Touches a Leper")), the blind ([Matthew 9:29](/matthew/9-29 "Matthew 9:29 - Jesus Touches the Blind")), or even a dead girl ([Mark 5:41](/mark/5-41 "Mark 5:41 - Jesus Raises Jairus' Daughter")), He did not become defiled; rather, He imparted purity, healing, and life. He is the ultimate "holy flesh," not of an animal sacrifice, but the very [Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"). Through His perfect sacrifice on the cross, His blood truly cleanses us from all sin ([1 John 1:7](/1_john/1-7 "1 John 1:7 - Cleansing by Christ's Blood")), making us holy and blameless before God ([Colossians 1:22](/colossians/1-22 "Colossians 1:22 - Holy and Blameless in Christ")). Unlike the Old Covenant system where holiness was restricted and non-transferable, Christ's holiness is freely imputed to all who believe, transforming us from within by His Spirit and making us truly set apart for God's purposes ([1 Peter 1:15-16](/1_peter/1-15-16 "1 Peter 1:15-16 - Be Holy, for I Am Holy")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 23:19

[Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Leviticus 6:27

Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.

Leviticus 7:6

Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it [is] most holy.

Exodus 29:37

Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.

Ezekiel 44:19

And when they go forth into the utter court, [even] into the utter court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their garments.

Leviticus 6:29

All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it [is] most holy.