Malachi2
New American Standard
1“And now, this commandment is for you, the priests.
2If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of armies, “then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.
3Behold, I am going to rebuke your descendants, and I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.
4Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, so that My covenant may continue with Levi,” says the Lord of armies.
5“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and was in awe of My name.
6True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing.
7For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of armies.
8But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies.
9“So I also have made you despised and of low reputation in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.”
10Do we not all have one Father? Is it not one God who has created us? Why do we deal treacherously, each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?
11Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
12As for the man who does this, may the Lord eliminate from the tents of Jacob everyone who is awake and answers, or who presents an offering to the Lord of armies.
13And this is another thing you do: you cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and sighing, because He no longer gives attention to the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.
14Yet you say, “For what reason?” Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your marriage companion and your wife by covenant.
15But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And why the one? He was seeking a godly offspring. Be careful then about your spirit, and see that none of you deals treacherously against the wife of your youth.
16“For I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence,” says the Lord of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”
17You have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?”
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Malachi 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The priests reproved for neglecting their covenant. (1–9). The people reproved for their evil practices. (10–17).
vv1-9
What is here said of the covenant of priesthood, is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests. It is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of all happiness, both in this world and in that to come. It is an honour to God's servants to be employed as his messengers. The priest's lips should not keep knowledge from his people, but keep it for them. The people are all concerned to know the will of the Lord. We must not only consult the written word, but desire instruction and advice from God's messengers, in the affairs of our souls. Ministers must exert themselves to the utmost for the conversion of sinners; and even among those called Israelites, there are many to be turned from iniquity. Those ministers, and those only, are likely to turn men from sin, who preach sound doctrine, and live holy lives according to the Scripture. Many departed from this way; thus they misled the people. Such as walk with God in peace and righteousness, and turn others from sin, honour God; he will honour them, while those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed.
vv10-17
Corrupt practices are the fruit of corrupt principles; and he who is false to his God, will not be true to his fellow mortals. In contempt of the marriage covenant, which God instituted, the Jews put away the wives they had of their own nation, probably to make room for strange wives. They made their lives bitter to them; yet, in the sight of others, they pretend to be tender of them. Consider she is thy wife; thy own; the nearest relation thou hast in the world. The wife is to be looked on, not as a servant, but as a companion to the husband. There is an oath of God between them, which is not to be trifled with. Man and wife should continue to their lives' end, in holy love and peace. Did not God make one, one Eve for one Adam? Yet God could have made another Eve. Wherefore did he make but one woman for one man? It was that the children might be made a seed to serve him. Husbands and wives must live in the fear of God, that their seed may be a godly seed. The God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away. Those who would be kept from sin, must take heed to their spirits, for there all sin begins. Men will find that their wrong conduct in their families springs from selfishness, which disregards the welfare and happiness of others, when opposed to their own passions and fancies. It is wearisome to God to hear people justify themselves in wicked practices. Those who think God can be a friend to sin, affront him, and deceive themselves. The scoffers said, Where is the God of judgement? but the day of the Lord will come.
Key Words
כֹּהֵן: literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman)
זֶה: the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
מִצְוָה: a command, whether human or divine (collectively, the Law)
לֹא: not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
שָׁמַע: to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
אִם: used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
שׂוּם: to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
עַל: above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
לֵב: the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
נָתַן: to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
Cross References
Malachi 2God's covenant of peace given specifically to Phinehas/Levi, ensuring an everlasting priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Moses' blessing on Levi, illustrating the fear and dedication required by the original priestly covenant.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Nehemiah's contemporary condemnation of the priests for defiling the covenant of Levi.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Jesus references God's creation of one husband and one wife, confirming monogamous intent.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The standard covenant curses of Deuteronomy that God threatens to send upon the faithless priests.
Supported by JFB
Historical record of post-exilic Jews marrying foreign women and profaning the priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The foundational creation account establishing the covenant of marriage where two become one flesh.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The ignominious threat of being swept away like dung, denoting utter rejection and contempt.
Supported by JFB
God's standard for true prophets/priests: to stand in His counsel and turn many from evil.
Supported by JFB
The catastrophic consequences when priests reject knowledge and fail to keep the law for the people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
New Testament comparison: ministers are ambassadors (messengers) of Christ, as priests were to Yahweh.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The divine principle that those who despise God will be lightly esteemed, fulfilled in the priests.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The Mosaic regulation of divorce, contrasted with Malachi's declaration that God hates divorce.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Wordplay on 'messenger' (Malachi), highlighting the priest's office as God's official envoy.
Supported by JFB