Malachi
Introduction
11This message (prophetic word, this burden) is the word of the Lord (Yahweh) to Israel through the hand of Malachi. [The Hebrew word massa that begins Malachi is a common term in prophetic literature that introduces a message from God, see ; . The word comes from a verb meaning "to carry," which implies that the message is also demanding and, to some extent, burdensome.]The priests shall honor the Lord
God's love
[In verses 2-5, the Lord speaks in the first person and quotes some of the arguments against him. Verses 2-4 are linked by several well-woven antithetical (opposite) chiastic structures.] 2I love [have loved and will always love] you,
declares (says, proclaims) The Lord (Yahweh).
But you say (yet you ask):
"How do you love [have loved and will always love] us?"
Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother?
Is it really the word of the Lord (Yahweh) that I loved
Jacob
3but Esau
I hated? [The Hebrew word order in verses 2c and 3a is literally ahav Jaaqóv v´Esav sane. The verbs come first and last, reinforcing the contrast between love and hate. The expression "hate" does not mean to hate mercilessly, but is a Hebrew expression of comparison where someone is chosen and thus becomes more loved. Esau is also blessed, see , and the Edomites, who are descendants of Esau, are a brother people to Jacob, see . See also ; .] I made his high places desolate and gave his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness. 4Since Edom [descendants of Esau; a country in the southeast that was often hostile to Israel] says, "We have been struck down,
but we will return and rebuild the ruins,"
so says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot):
They may rebuild,
but I will tear down.
They shall be called an evil and wicked land, the people whom the Lord (Yahweh) condemns forever (eternally). 5Then you will see and say, "May the Lord (Yahweh) be exalted and great far beyond the borders of Israel." [ ties in with , where the Lord quoted Israel's accusatory question to him, "How do you love us?" uses similar wording and suggests what a more appropriate answer would be—praise both within and beyond Israel's borders!]The apostasy of the priests
6A son honors his father
and a servant his master.
So if I am a father [your heavenly Father],
where is my honor?
If I am Lord (Adon) [Lord],
where is my reverence? says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), to you priests who despise my name.
But you say (yet you ask): "How have we despised your name?" 7You offer (bring) defiled bread (unclean food) on my altar.
But you say (yet you ask), "How have we defiled you [defiled your name]?"
By saying that the Lord's (Yahweh's) table is despised. 8And when you bring a blind animal as a sacrifice, is it not [something] evil? Or when you bring a lame or sick animal, is it not [something] evil? Come (then try to approach) your leader (governor) with such things [then you will understand that it is not good]!
Would he be pleased with it? Or would he accept it graciously? says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 9But now, beg (appeal earnestly) before God (El) that he show us mercy (undeserved love – Hebr. chanan). When this has come from (has been done through) your own hands, would he then graciously accept [anything] from you? says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). [God can never accept a human gift that is not given with pure intent.]Sacrifices in vain
[ is the central verse in the first section, framed by verses 6-9 and 11-14, which have many similar words and describe the problem.] 10If only one of you would shut the doors and not light the fire on my altar in vain. I find no pleasure (satisfaction) in it, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). Nor will I accept any sacrifice from your hand.The name of the Lord is dishonored
11From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to my name, with a pure offering, for my name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 12But you defile it [my name]
when you say, "The Lord's (Adonai's) table is defiled" [here the word goal is used in the sense of blood guilt]
and its fruit and its food, "it is despised (has little value)."
13You also say, "Look how worthless it is," and you sniff it [here one senses that the smell of the meat is not fresh but rather rotten], says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). [Verses 12 and 7 have many similarities. The three words (unclean, defiled, despised) appear in the same order, but the objects change from "bread—the name of God, table" to "the name of God, table—fruit/food."] You bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick as an offering. Should I accept it from your hand? says the Lord (Yahweh). 14But cursed is the deceiver who has a male animal in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices something that is deformed to the Lord (Adonai). For I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), and my name shall be revered among the nations.The consequences of disobedience
21And now this commandment is to you, O priests. 2If you do not listen and if you do not take to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), then I will send curses upon you and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I will surely curse them, because you do not take this to heart. 3Behold, I will punish your seed [your descendants] because of you, and I will spread filth (slaughter remains) on your faces [which would defile them, see ], the refuse of your solemn sacrifices [which would be burned outside the camp, see ], and carry you away with it. 4Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that it may be my covenant with Levi [who were priests, see and ; ; ], says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).
5My covenant with him was for life and peace (fullness in all areas—Hebr. shalom), and I gave them to him as reverence. He revered me, and he was captivated by reverence for my name. 6The teaching of truth (Hebr. Torah) was in his mouth, and no injustice was found on his lips. In peace (shalom) and uprightness (righteousness) he walked with me, and he turned many from sin (wrongdoing, guilt). 7The lips of the priest shall be the guardian of knowledge, and instruction must be sought from his mouth. He is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 8But you have strayed from the path. You have caused many to stumble through your way of imparting teaching (Hebr. Torah) [the instructions from the five books of Moses]. You have corrupted the covenant of the Levites, says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 9So I have also made you despised and lowly [as someone to be looked down upon] before all the people because you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your teaching.Juda is called to faithfulness
Spiritual unity
10Do we not all have one Father [Mal. 1:6; Deut. 32:6, 18]? Has not one God (El) created us? UnfaithfulnessWhy do we treat each other unfaithfully, a man against his brother, and defile the covenant of our fathers?
11Judah has acted unfaithfully, an abomination done in Israel, even in Jerusalem. For Judah has defiled the sanctuary of the Lord (Yahweh), whom he loves, and has married the daughters of foreign gods (Hebr. el). 12The Lord (Yahweh) will separate (exclude, cut off) the man who does this, until he is cast out from Jacob's tent [society] and from the possibility of offering a gift to the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 13Moreover [secondly], you do this (evil): you cover the altar of the Lord (Yahweh) with your weeping and wailing because he no longer accepts your sacrifices or receives them with mercy (goodwill, conditional mercy – Hebr. ratson) from your hand. 14But you say (yet you ask), "Why?"
Because the Lord (Yahweh) bears witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been unfaithful. Yet she has become your companion and wife through covenant.Do not be unfaithful to me
15No one has done so [divorced], who has a remnant of spirit (in him) [is still alive]. What does the only one [God or Abraham, ] seek if not offspring from God (Elohim)? [The first part of this verse is difficult to translate.] Protect and preserve your spirit so that you are not unfaithful to (deceive) the wife of your youth. 16I hate divorce,
says the Lord (Yahweh), the God of Israel (Elohim),
and he who covers his cloak in unrighteousness,
says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).
So protect and preserve your spirit so that you are not unfaithful (deceive and be unfaithful).Complaint about God's injustice
17You have wearied the Lord (Yahweh) with your prov. But you say (yet you ask):
"How have we wearied him?"
When you say, "All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord (Yahweh), and he delights in them," or, "Where is the God (Elohim) who judges [and is just]?"Coming messenger
31Behold, I send my messenger [John the Baptist, see Mark 1:2], and he shall prepare the way before me. Suddenly he shall come to his temple, the Lord [Adon, i.e., Messiah, Jesus] whom you ask for, the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Behold, he is coming,
says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).
2Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? [see ] He is like a refiner's fire [which purifies metal from impurities], like fullers' soap [which cleans clothes]. 3He will sit down like a goldsmith and melt and purify the silver. [Jesus is likened to a goldsmith who sits down, does not rush around, but works lovingly and allows the work to take its time. He keeps his craft in the fire until the dross and impurities have come out, and he can see his own reflection in the purified metal.] He will purify the sons of Levi (the Levites), refine them like gold and silver, so that they may bring offerings to the Lord in righteousness. 4Then the offerings from Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in former days and years past. 5Then I will come to you to judge, and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers, against those who swear falsely and those who withhold the wages of the laborer, against those who oppress the widow and the fatherless, and against those who defraud the stranger. They do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 6For I am the Lord (Yahweh), and I do not change. You sons (children) of Jacob, you are not finished.Judah is urged to return
Return with tithing
7From the days of your fathers you have turned away from my statutes (literally "things engraved") and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).
But you say (yet you ask), "How shall we return?" 8Can a man rob (deceive) God (Elohim)? Yet you rob me (deceive and steal from me).
But you say (yet you ask), "How have we robbed you?"
With tithes and offerings. 9You have been struck by the curse, yet you continue to rob and steal from me, the whole people (the nation). 10Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, then there will be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), if I will not open the windows of heaven for you [same word as in ; about the flood] and pour out blessings on you until no one lacks abundance (everyone has more than enough; all needs are more than met). [The Hebrew expression ad bli dai is difficult to translate but speaks of something that is so abundant that there are no more needs, so much more that it cannot be measured.] 11I will punish the pestilence that consumes you, so that it will not destroy the fruit of the land, nor will your vine be without grapes in the field, says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). 12All nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land that is enjoyed, says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).Indifference
13Your words against me are strong (painful), says the Lord (Yahweh).
But you say (yet you ask), "What have we spoken against you?"
14You say (have said), "It is futile to serve God (Elohim).
What good is it for us to serve him or to walk mournfully before the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot)? 15Now we call the proud blessed. Those who practice evil are strengthened. Truly, they have tested God (Elohim) and have escaped."A coming day of judgment
16But those who fear (revere) the Lord (Yahweh) have spoken to one another, and the Lord (Yahweh) has listened and heard them. And a book of remembrance (scroll of remembrance) was written before him for those who fear the Lord (Yahweh) and those who remember his name.
[Hebr. sefer zikaron memorial book is only used here in the entire Bible, but the idea that God has a book where events are written down is found in other places, see ; ; ; ; . It was common for kings to keep records of important events, see .] 17They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot). On that day I will make them my own special possession. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. 18Then you shall return and distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God (Elohim) and those who do not serve him. 41That day will undoubtedly come, burning like a furnace [a controlled fire], and all the arrogant (proud people who despise God) and all who do evil (act ungodly) will be like stubble [the word is used both for the stumps left in the field after harvest and for the stubble]. The coming day will burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), it will leave behind neither root nor foliage (branch, twig). 2But for you who fear (revere, respect) my name, the sun of righteousness [Messiah; ] will rise with healing (cure) under its wings []. Then you shall go forth [be set free] and you shall leap about (jump around) like calves [that are let out for the first time] on green pastures [literally: out of the barn/bondage]. 3You shall trample the lawless, for they shall be like ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do this, says the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).Conclusion
Remember the teaching
4Remember (consider) the teaching (Hebr. Torah) of my servant Moses [the five books of Moses with instructions] that I commanded him at Horeb (Hebr. Chorev) [Mount Sinai], the statutes (literally "things engraved" – Hebr. chuqim) and the ordinances (binding legal decisions – Hebr. mishpatim) for all Israel.
[The word Chorev shares its root with the word for dry/desolate (Hebr. charev), which describes the area around Mount Sinai. The word also shares its root with the word cherev, which means sword. This takes on a deeper meaning when we know that God's word is described as a sword () and the covenant that was made here, see .]The Prophet Elijah
5Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord [; ; ]. [Since Elijah was taken up into heaven without dying (), his return has always been associated with the advent of the Messianic age in the Jewish faith, see . John the Baptist had the spirit of Elijah (; ; ; ) and fulfilled the prophecy in , but he was not Elijah (). See also .] 6And he [the coming prophet] shall turn (bring back; convert)
the hearts of the fathers
to the sons (children)
and the hearts of the sons (children)
to their fathers
so that I will not come
and smite the land with a curse (annihilation; complete destruction). [The last verse forms a chiasm. Both fathers and sons are in the plural, while heart is in the singular. A style of writing that reinforces unity – one heart. Fathers (in the plural) can also include the concept of parents, just as sons can include the concept of children. One aspect of this prophecy is that families will be reconciled. The verse can also be interpreted as fathers and sons together turning their hearts to God. It then becomes a call to both the younger and older generations to repent together and return to God, see .] Although Malachi is the last book in our Western Bibles, it is not so in the Hebrew Bible, where the Book of Chronicles, which is not divided but consists of a single scroll, comes last. In the Hebrew Bible, the Book of Samuel and the Book of Kings are also one book, and Ezra/Nehemiah was also a scroll from the beginning. The text is exactly the same, but instead of 39 books, the text is divided into 24 scrolls (the twelve minor prophets, for example, are collected in one scroll). The Hebrew Bible is called Tanach, which is an acronym for the first letters of the three parts of the Hebrew Bible:
Torah (Ta) – The Teaching (the Books of Moses)
Neviim (na) – The Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Mic. (Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi)
Ketuvim (k/ch) – The Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra/Nehemiah, and Chronicles)
The initial letters of the three Hebrew names are tav–nun–kaf. This gives the word Ta-na-ch. The letter kaf is pronounced k when it begins a word and ch when it ends a word.
At first glance, the Book of Chronicles can be seen as a repetition of Israel's history from Adam to the end of the Babylonian captivity, but in the retelling, a new narrative is created through the choice of content. The kings of the Kingdom of Judah are mentioned, while no one from the northern kingdom is mentioned. The book begins with the genealogy from up to David, who is to bless the nations, see . Great emphasis is placed on the temple, and throughout the book there is a growing expectation of the coming Messiah. The Book of Chronicles ends with an unfinished sentence from Cyrus in Hebrew: "And let him go up..." (). Here there is a connection to the seventy weeks in the Book of Daniel and a coming jubilee year, see . The unfinished sentence indicates yet another exile before the Kingdom of God would come into full force. When Jesus reads from in , he ties in with this common thread.
