2:13 2:13

Haggai 2:14

2:15 2:15

Bible Versions

Then answered Haggai, and said, So [is] this people, and so [is] this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so [is] every work of their hands; and that which they offer there [is] unclean.
Then answered {H6030} Haggai {H2292}, and said {H559}, So is this people {H5971}, and so is this nation {H1471} before {H6440} me, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}; and so is every work {H4639} of their hands {H3027}; and that which they offer {H7126} there is unclean {H2931}.
Hagai then said, "'That is the condition of this people, that is the condition of this nation before me,' says ADONAI, 'and that is the condition of everything their hands produce; so that anything they offer there is unclean.
Then 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.
Then answered Haggai and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith Jehovah; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.

Context of Haggai 2:14

The prophet Haggai delivered his messages to the Jewish exiles who had returned from Babylonian captivity, around 520 BC. After seventy years in exile, they had returned to Jerusalem but had neglected the rebuilding of the Temple, prioritizing their own homes and affairs. In Haggai 1:6, the Lord had already highlighted the futility of their labors due to this misplaced priority. In Haggai 2:10-13, the prophet uses a legalistic, priestly illustration concerning ritual purity and impurity. He asks priests whether holy meat can make something else holy, to which they reply no. Then he asks if touching an unclean person (defiled by a dead body) makes something else unclean, to which they reply yes. This verse, Haggai 2:14, is the divine application of that principle: their spiritual defilement, caused by their disobedience and neglect of God's house, had rendered everything they did, including their sacrifices, unclean in God's sight.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Spiritual Defilement: The core message is that the people, the nation, and all their works were considered "unclean" (`tame'` in Hebrew) before the Lord. This was not merely a ritual impurity but a profound spiritual and moral defilement stemming from their disobedience and misplaced priorities. Their neglect of God's Temple indicated a deeper heart issue.
  • Consequences of Neglect: The verse highlights that disobedience has far-reaching consequences. Their failure to obey God's command to rebuild the Temple meant that even their seemingly good deeds, their offerings, and their national standing were tainted and unacceptable to a holy God. This resonates with the idea that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags when done without a right heart before God.
  • God's Holiness and Standards: This verse underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for purity in worship and service. He cannot accept defiled offerings or disobedient service.

Linguistic Insights

The key term here is "unclean" (Hebrew: tame'). In Old Testament law, tame' refers to ritual impurity that would prevent one from participating in worship or entering the tabernacle/temple. However, Haggai applies this concept beyond mere ritual defilement to a deeper spiritual state. Because the people were personally defiled by their disobedience (their hearts were not right with God), their entire national identity, their daily labor, and even their religious offerings were considered polluted and unacceptable in God's eyes, regardless of outward form.

Practical Application

Haggai 2:14 serves as a powerful reminder that God looks beyond outward actions to the condition of the heart. Our service, worship, and daily work can be rendered "unclean" in God's sight if they stem from a disobedient heart, if we neglect God's priorities, or if we are spiritually impure. It emphasizes the importance of seeking God's will first (Matthew 6:33) and maintaining a pure heart before the Lord. True acceptance and blessing come not from mere activity, but from obedience and a right standing with God. This verse precedes God's promise of blessing from the day the Temple foundation was laid (Haggai 2:18-19), demonstrating that repentance and obedience lead to restoration and divine favor.

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.

  • Titus 1:15

    Unto the pure all things [are] pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving [is] nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

  • Proverbs 28:9

    ¶ He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer [shall be] abomination.

  • Haggai 1:4

    [Is it] time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house [lie] waste?

  • Haggai 1:11

    And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains, and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon [that] which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle, and upon all the labour of the hands.

  • Proverbs 15:8

    ¶ The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight.

  • Isaiah 1:11

    To what purpose [is] the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.

  • Isaiah 1:15

    And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
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