10 On the twenty-fourth e of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius , the word of the Lord came to Haggai the prophet , saying , 11 "Thus says the Lord of hosts , ' Ask now the priests for a ruling : 12 'If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment , and touches bread with this fold , or cooked food , wine , oil , or any other food , will it become holy ?' " And the priests answered , "No ." 13 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 ." 14 Then Haggai said , " ' So is this people . And so is this nation before Me,' declares the Lord , 'and so is every work of their hands ; and what they offer there is unclean . 15 'But now , do consider e from this day onward : before e one stone was placed on another in the temple of the Lord , 16 from that time when one came to a grain heap of twenty measures, there would be only ten ; and when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures , there would be only twenty . 17 'I smote you and every work of your hands with blasting wind , mildew and hail ; yet you did not come back to Me,' declares the Lord . 18 'Do consider e from this day onward , from the twenty-fourth e day of the ninth month; from the day when the temple of the Lord was founded , consider e : 19 'Is the seed still in the barn ? Even including the vine , the fig tree , the pomegranate and the olive tree , it has not borne fruit. Yet from this day on I will bless you."'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Haggai 2:10-19
Commentary on Haggai 2:10-19
(Read Haggai 2:10-19)
Many spoiled this good work, by going about it with unholy hearts and hands, and were likely to gain no advantage by it. The sum of these two rules of the law is, that sin is more easily learned from others than holiness. The impurity of their hearts and lives shall make the work of their hands, and all their offerings, unclean before God. The case is the same with us. When employed in any good work, we should watch over ourselves, lest we render it unclean by our corruptions. When we begin to make conscience of duty to God, we may expect his blessing; and whoso is wise will understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. God will curse the blessings of the wicked, and make bitter the prosperity of the careless; but he will sweeten the cup of affliction to those who diligently serve him.