King James Version

What Does Haggai 2:14 Mean?

Haggai 2:14 in the King James Version says “Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work...” — study this verse from Haggai chapter 2 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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.”

Haggai 2:14 · KJV

Context

12

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.

13

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.

14

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.

15

And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD:

16

Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.

Read Haggai 2 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
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 (וַיַּעַן חַגַּי וַיֹּאמַר כֵּן הָעָם־הַזֶּה וְכֵן הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּה לְפָנַי נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְכֵן כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יַקְרִיבוּ שָׁם טָמֵא הוּא/vaya'an Chaggai vayomer ken ha'am-hazeh vekhen hagoy-hazeh lefanai ne'um-YHWH vekhen kol-ma'aseh yedeihem va'asher yakrivu sham tame hu)—God springs the trap. The priests acknowledged that uncleanness contaminates; now God applies it: So is this people—like the defiled person, they contaminate everything they touch. Every work of their hands (כָּל־מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם/kol-ma'aseh yedeihem)—even temple-building—is unclean (טָמֵא/tame).

This is shocking: even their obedience in rebuilding the temple couldn't make them acceptable to God if their hearts remained defiled. Religious activity—even commanded activity—doesn't automatically please God. Isaiah 64:6 declares, "All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment." God desires heart-purity, not merely external compliance. Jesus confronted Pharisees with similar truth: meticulous external religion while hearts harbored pride, greed, and hypocrisy (Matthew 23).

The shift from "my people" (1:2) to this people and this nation (הָעָם־הַזֶּה... הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּה/ha'am-hazeh... hagoy-hazeh) signals divine displeasure. When God calls them "nation" (גּוֹי/goy), the term usually applied to gentiles, He indicates they're acting like pagans, not His covenant people. Their defilement came from prolonged disobedience (sixteen years neglecting His house), creating spiritual contamination that infected everything.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

This message came after the people had resumed building (three months into the project). They might have thought that because they were now obeying, all was well. God corrects this: obedience without genuine heart-repentance leaves them still unclean. They needed both to rebuild the temple and to deal with the heart-defilement that years of self-focused living had produced. True restoration required internal and external transformation.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does the truth that even "good works" can be defiled by impure hearts challenge your confidence in religious activity as earning God's favor?
  2. In what ways might you be substituting external obedience or ministry activity for genuine heart-repentance and spiritual purity?
  3. What does it mean to come to God acknowledging that even your best efforts are contaminated by sin, needing Christ's righteousness rather than your own?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 21 words
וַיַּ֨עַן1 of 21

“Then answered”

H6030

properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e., pay attention; by implication, to respond; by extension to begin to speak; specifically to sing, shout,

חַגַּ֜י2 of 21

“Haggai”

H2292

chaggai, a hebrew prophet

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר3 of 21

“and said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

כֵּ֣ן4 of 21
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

הָֽעָם5 of 21

“So is this people”

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

הַ֠זֶּה6 of 21
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

וְכֵן7 of 21
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

הַגּ֨וֹי8 of 21

“and so is this nation”

H1471

a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts

הַזֶּ֤ה9 of 21
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

לְפָנַי֙10 of 21

“before”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

נְאֻם11 of 21

“me saith”

H5002

an oracle

יְהוָ֔ה12 of 21

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

וְכֵ֖ן13 of 21
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

כָּל14 of 21
H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה15 of 21

“and so is every work”

H4639

an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property

יְדֵיהֶ֑ם16 of 21

“of their hands”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר17 of 21
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

יַקְרִ֛יבוּ18 of 21

“and that which they offer”

H7126

to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose

שָׁ֖ם19 of 21
H8033

there (transferring to time) then; often thither, or thence

טָמֵ֥א20 of 21

“there is unclean”

H2931

foul in a religious sense

הֽוּא׃21 of 21
H1931

he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demo

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Haggai. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Haggai 2:14 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Haggai 2:14 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Proverbs 28:9Titus 1:15Proverbs 15:8Haggai 1:4-11Isaiah 1:11-15Proverbs 21:27

Test Your Knowledge

Haggai 2 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterHaggai Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

Continue Your Study

Read Haggai 2 with CommentaryAll Haggai ChaptersComplete Haggai QuizBible CharactersNave's Topical BibleAll Bible Quizzes