Malachi 2
Lexham English Bible
2 “And so then, O priests, this command is for you: 2 If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart[a] to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of hosts, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings; moreover I have already cursed them because you are not taking it to heart.[b] 3 Look! I am going to rebuke your offspring,[c] and I will scatter offal on your faces, the offal of your religious feasts, and you will be carried to it.[d]
4 “Then you will know that I have sent to you this command, that my covenant with Levi continues,”[e] says Yahweh of hosts. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. This required reverence, and he revered[f] me and stood in awe before[g] my name. 6 The instruction of truth[h] was in his mouth, and wickedness was not found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness[i] he walked with me, and he brought back many from sin.[j] 7 For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and they should seek instruction[k] from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts. 8 But you, you have turned from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction;[l] you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. 9 “And in turn I have made you despised and humbled before all the people, inasmuch as you are not keeping[m] my way, but are favoring your own instruction.”[n]
Yahweh Hates Faithlessness
10 Do we not all have[o] one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we unfaithful to one another,[p] profaning the covenant of our ancestors?[q] 11 Judah has been faithless, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the sanctuary of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign[r] god. 12 May Yahweh cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, the one who is awake and who answers, and the one who brings an offering to Yahweh of hosts!
13 And this you do as well:[s] you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because he[t] no longer regards the offering[u] or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you ask, “For what reason?”[v] Because Yahweh stands as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have been unfaithful, even though she is your marriage partner and your wife by covenant.[w] 15 Did not one God make them?[x] But a remnant of the spirit is his.[y] And what does the one God desire? An offspring of God.[z] You must be attentive to[aa] your spirit, and you must not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “For I hate divorce,”[ab] says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and he who covers his clothing with violence,” says Yahweh of hosts. “You must be attentive to[ac] your spirit and you must not be unfaithful.”
17 You have wearied Yahweh with your words, but you ask, “With what have we wearied him?” You have done so when you say,[ad] “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight[ae] of Yahweh, and in them he delights,” or “Where is the God of justice?”
Footnotes
- Malachi 2:2 Literally, “place it on your heart”
- Malachi 2:2 Literally “you are not placing it on your heart”
- Malachi 2:3 Literally “for you the offspring”
- Malachi 2:3 The Hebrew is difficult. The subject is indefinite, and “it” likely refers to a refuse or waste pile
- Malachi 2:4 Literally “be”
- Malachi 2:5 Or “feared”
- Malachi 2:5 Literally “from the face of”
- Malachi 2:6 Or “law of truth”
- Malachi 2:6 Or “rectitude,” or “fairness”
- Malachi 2:6 Or “iniquity”
- Malachi 2:7 Or “law”
- Malachi 2:8 Or “the law”
- Malachi 2:9 Or “observing”
- Malachi 2:9 Literally “lifting faces in the instruction/law”
- Malachi 2:10 Literally “Is for all of us not”
- Malachi 2:10 Literally “each man to his brother”
- Malachi 2:10 Or “fathers”
- Malachi 2:11 Or “pagan”
- Malachi 2:13 Literally “a second time”
- Malachi 2:13 Yahweh
- Malachi 2:13 Literally “there is no longer turning to the offering”
- Malachi 2:14 Literally “Because of what?”
- Malachi 2:14 Literally “the wife of your covenant”
- Malachi 2:15 Literally “Not one did he make”
- Malachi 2:15 The meaning of this sentence is difficult; literally “And a remnant of the spirit to him”
- Malachi 2:15 Or “a godly offspring”
- Malachi 2:15 Literally “You must keep watch on”
- Malachi 2:16 Hebrew “sending away”
- Malachi 2:16 Literally “You must keep watch on”
- Malachi 2:17 Literally “at your saying”
- Malachi 2:17 Literally “eyes”
Malachi 2
Christian Standard Bible
Warning to the Priests
2 “Therefore, this decree(A) is for you priests: 2 If you don’t listen, and if you don’t take it to heart(B) to honor my name,” says the Lord of Armies, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings.(C) In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.
3 “Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants,(D) and I will spread animal waste[a] over your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices,(E) and you will be taken away with it. 4 Then you will know that I sent you this decree, so that my covenant with Levi(F) may continue,” says the Lord of Armies. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and peace,(G) and I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.(H) 6 True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me(I) in peace and integrity and turned many from iniquity.(J) 7 For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.(K)
8 “You, on the other hand, have turned from the way.(L) You have caused many to stumble(M) by your instruction. You have violated[b] the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of Armies. 9 “So I in turn have made you despised(N) and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping my ways but are showing partiality in your instruction.”(O)
Judah’s Marital Unfaithfulness
10 Don’t all of us have one Father?(P) Didn’t one God create us?(Q) Why then do we act treacherously against one another,(R) profaning(S) the covenant of our ancestors?(T) 11 Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable(U) act has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned(V) the Lord’s sanctuary,[c](W) which he loves,(X) and has married the daughter of a foreign god.[d](Y) 12 May the Lord cut off(Z) from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, whoever he may be,[e](AA) even if he presents an offering to the Lord of Armies.
13 This is another thing you do. You are covering the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning,(AB) because he no longer respects your offerings or receives them gladly from your hands.(AC)
14 And you ask, “Why?” Because even though the Lord has been a witness(AD) between you and the wife of your youth,(AE) you have acted treacherously against her. She was your marriage partner(AF) and your wife by covenant.(AG) 15 Didn’t God make them one and give them a portion of spirit? What is the one seeking?[f] Godly offspring. So watch yourselves carefully,[g](AH) so that no one acts treacherously against the wife of his[h] youth.
16 “If he hates(AI) and divorces his wife,”(AJ) says the Lord God of Israel, “he[i] covers his garment with injustice,”(AK) says the Lord of Armies. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully,[j] and do not act treacherously.
Judgment at the Lord’s Coming
17 You have wearied the Lord(AL) with your words.
Yet you ask, “How have we wearied him?”
When you say, “Everyone who does what is evil is good in the Lord’s sight, and he is delighted with them,(AM) or else where is the God of justice?” (AN)
Footnotes
- 2:3 Dung or entrails
- 2:8 Lit corrupted
- 2:11 Or profaned what is holy to the Lord
- 2:11 = a woman who worshiped a foreign god
- 2:12 Hb obscure
- 2:15 Hb obscure
- 2:15 Lit So guard yourselves in your spirit
- 2:15 Lit your
- 2:16 Or The Lord God of Israel says that he hates divorce and the one who
- 2:16 Lit Therefore, guard yourselves in your spirit
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.