^2:13Then Haggai asked, “If a person who is ritually unclean because of touching a dead body²⁰ comes in contact with one of these items, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “It will be unclean.”

^2:14Then Haggai responded, “ ‘The people of this nation are unclean in my sight,’²¹ says the Lord. ‘And so is all their effort; everything they offer is also unclean.²²

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Footnotes

20 Heb “unclean of a person,” a euphemism for “unclean because of a dead person”; see Lev 21:11; Num 6:6. Cf. “unclean from contact with a corpse.”
21 Heb “so this people, and so this nation before me.” In this context “people” and “nation” refer to the same set of individuals; the repetition is emphatic. Cf. “this entire nation.”
22 The point here is that the Jews cannot be made holy by unholy fellowship with their pagan neighbors; instead, they and their worship will become corrupted by such associations.

In other versions

ESVEnglish 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.” Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

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.”

Then Haggai said, “ ‘So it is with this people and this nation in my sight,’ declares the Lord. ‘Whatever they do and whatever they offer there is defiled.

CSBChristian 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.”

Then Haggai replied, “So is this people, and so is this nation before me—this is the Lord’s declaration. And so is every work of their hands; even what they offer there is defiled.

NLTNew 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.”

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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Then Haggai said, “If one who is unclean from contact with a corpse touches any of these, will it become unclean?” The priests answered, “Yes, it will be become unclean.” And Haggai answered and said, “ ‘So it is with this people, and with this nation before me,’ declares Yahweh, ‘and so it is with every kind of work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean.

KJV 1900King James 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. 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.

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