14 Yet ye say, [a]Wherein? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast transgressed: yet is she thy [b]companion, and the wife of thy [c]covenant.

15 And did not [d]he make one? yet had he [e]abundance of spirit: and wherefore one? because he sought a godly [f]seed: therefore keep yourselves in your [g]spirit, and let none trespass against the wife of his youth.

16 If thou hatest her, [h]put her away, saith the Lord God of Israel, yet he covereth [i]the injury under his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore keep yourselves in your spirit, and transgress not.

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:14 This is another fault, whereof he accuseth them, that is, that they broke the laws of marriage.
  2. Malachi 2:14 As the one half of thyself.
  3. Malachi 2:14 She that was joined to thee by a solemn covenant, and by the invocation of God’s name.
  4. Malachi 2:15 Did not God make man and woman as one flesh and not many?
  5. Malachi 2:15 By his power and virtue he could have made many women for one man.
  6. Malachi 2:15 Such as should be born in lawful and moderate marriage, wherein is no excess of lusts.
  7. Malachi 2:15 Contain yourselves within your bounds, and be sober in mind, and bridle your affections.
  8. Malachi 2:16 Not that he doth allow divorcement, but of two faults he showeth, which is the less.
  9. Malachi 2:16 He thinketh it sufficient to keep his wife still, albeit he take others, and so as it were covereth his fault.

14 You ask,(A) “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness(B) between you and the wife of your youth.(C) You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.(D)

15 Has not the one God made you?(E) You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.[a](F) So be on your guard,(G) and do not be unfaithful(H) to the wife of your youth.

16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,(I)” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”[b](J) says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard,(K) and do not be unfaithful.

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:15 The meaning of the Hebrew for the first part of this verse is uncertain.
  2. Malachi 2:16 Or “I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “because the man who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,”