12 The LORD H3068 will cut off H3772 the man H376 that doeth H6213 this, the master H5782 and the scholar, H6030 out of the tabernacles H168 of Jacob, H3290 and him that offereth H5066 an offering H4503 unto the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
Behold, the LORD H3068 maketh the earth H776 empty, H1238 and maketh it waste, H1110 and turneth H5753 it upside down, H6440 and scattereth abroad H6327 the inhabitants H3427 thereof. And it shall be, as with the people, H5971 so with the priest; H3548 as with the servant, H5650 so with his master; H113 as with the maid, H8198 so with her mistress; H1404 as with the buyer, H7069 so with the seller; H4376 as with the lender, H3867 so with the borrower; H3867 as with the taker of usury, H5383 so H834 with the giver of usury H5378 to him.
And G2532 the beast G2342 was taken, G4084 and G2532 with G3326 him G5127 the false prophet G5578 that wrought G4160 miracles G4592 before G1799 him, G846 with G1722 which G3739 he deceived G4105 them that had received G2983 the mark G5480 of the beast, G2342 and G2532 them that worshipped G4352 his G846 image. G1504 These both G1417 were cast G906 alive G2198 into G1519 a lake G3041 of fire G4442 burning G2545 with G1722 brimstone. G2303
Let G863 them G846 alone: G863 they be G1526 blind G5185 leaders G3595 of the blind. G5185 And G1161 if G1437 the blind G5185 lead G3594 the blind, G5185 both G297 shall fall G4098 into G1519 the ditch. G999
Have we not all one H259 father? H1 hath not one H259 God H410 created H1254 us? why do we deal treacherously H898 every man H376 against his brother, H251 by profaning H2490 the covenant H1285 of our fathers? H1
Who is there even among you that would shut H5462 the doors H1817 for nought? neither do ye kindle H215 fire on mine altar H4196 for nought. H2600 I have no pleasure H2656 in you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 neither will I accept H7521 an offering H4503 at your hand. H3027
The LORD H3068 also shall save H3467 the tents H168 of Judah H3063 first, H7223 that the glory H8597 of the house H1004 of David H1732 and the glory H8597 of the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 do not magnify H1431 themselves against Judah. H3063
Though ye offer H5927 me burnt offerings H5930 and your meat offerings, H4503 I will not accept H7521 them: neither will I regard H5027 the peace offerings H8002 of your fat beasts. H4806
Yet let no man H376 strive, H7378 nor reprove H3198 another: H376 for thy people H5971 are as they that strive H7378 with the priest. H3548 Therefore shalt thou fall H3782 in the day, H3117 and the prophet H5030 also shall fall H3782 with thee in the night, H3915 and I will destroy H1820 thy mother. H517
Speak H559 unto the house H1004 of Israel, H3478 Thus saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD; H3069 Behold, I will profane H2490 my sanctuary, H4720 the excellency H1347 of your strength, H5797 the desire H4261 of your eyes, H5869 and that which your soul H5315 pitieth; H4263 and your sons H1121 and your daughters H1323 whom ye have left H5800 shall fall H5307 by the sword. H2719
And they shall bear H5375 the punishment of their iniquity: H5771 the punishment H5771 of the prophet H5030 shall be even as the punishment H5771 of him that seeketh H1875 unto him;
He that killeth H7819 an ox H7794 is as if he slew H5221 a man; H376 he that sacrificeth H2076 a lamb, H7716 as if he cut off H6202 a dog's H3611 neck; H6202 he that offereth H5927 an oblation, H4503 as if he offered swine's H2386 blood; H1818 he that burneth H2142 incense, H3828 as if he blessed H1288 an idol. H205 Yea, they have chosen H977 their own ways, H1870 and their soul H5315 delighteth H2654 in their abominations. H8251
For I the LORD H3068 love H157 judgment, H4941 I hate H8130 robbery H1498 for burnt offering; H5930 and I will direct H5414 their work H6468 in truth, H571 and I will make H3772 an everlasting H5769 covenant H1285 with them.
And in process H7093 of time H3117 it came to pass, that Cain H7014 brought H935 of the fruit H6529 of the ground H127 an offering H4503 unto the LORD. H3068 And Abel, H1893 he H1931 also brought H935 of the firstlings H1062 of his flock H6629 and of the fat H2459 thereof. And the LORD H3068 had respect H8159 unto Abel H1893 and to his offering: H4503 But unto Cain H7014 and to his offering H4503 he had not respect. H8159 And Cain H7014 was very H3966 wroth, H2734 and his countenance H6440 fell. H5307
Therefore the LORD H3068 will cut off H3772 from Israel H3478 head H7218 and tail, H2180 branch H3712 and rush, H100 in one H259 day. H3117 The ancient H2205 and honourable, H6440 H5375 he H1931 is the head; H7218 and the prophet H5030 that teacheth H3384 lies, H8267 he is the tail. H2180 For the leaders H833 of this people H5971 cause them to err; H8582 and they that are led H833 of them are destroyed. H1104
And one of the sons H1121 of Joiada, H3111 the son H1121 of Eliashib H475 the high H1419 priest, H3548 was son in law H2860 to Sanballat H5571 the Horonite: H2772 therefore I chased H1272 him from me. Remember H2142 them, O my God, H430 because they have defiled H1352 the priesthood, H3550 and the covenant H1285 of the priesthood, H3550 and of the Levites. H3881
And among the sons H1121 of the priests H3548 there were found H4672 that had taken H3427 strange H5237 wives: H802 namely, of the sons H1121 of Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Jozadak, H3136 and his brethren; H251 Maaseiah, H4641 and Eliezer, H461 and Jarib, H3402 and Gedaliah. H1436 And they gave H5414 their hands H3027 that they would put away H3318 their wives; H802 and being guilty, H818 they offered a ram H352 of the flock H6629 for their trespass. H819
And Samuel H8050 said, H559 Hath the LORD H3068 as great delight H2656 in burnt offerings H5930 and sacrifices, H2077 as in obeying H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD? H3068 Behold, to obey H8085 is better H2896 than sacrifice, H2077 and to hearken H7181 than the fat H2459 of rams. H352 For rebellion H4805 is as the sin H2403 of witchcraft, H7081 and stubbornness H6484 is as iniquity H205 and idolatry. H8655 Because thou hast rejected H3988 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 he hath also rejected H3988 thee from being king. H4428
And therefore I have sworn H7650 unto the house H1004 of Eli, H5941 that the iniquity H5771 of Eli's H5941 house H1004 shall not be purged H3722 with sacrifice H2077 nor offering H4503 for H5704 ever. H5769
Behold, the days H3117 come, H935 that I will cut off H1438 thine arm, H2220 and the arm H2220 of thy father's H1 house, H1004 that there shall not be an old man H2205 in thine house. H1004 And thou shalt see H5027 an enemy H6862 in my habitation, H4583 in all the wealth which God shall give H3190 Israel: H3478 and there shall not be an old man H2205 in thine house H1004 for ever. H3117 And the man H376 of thine, whom I shall not cut off H3772 from mine altar, H4196 shall be to consume H3615 thine eyes, H5869 and to grieve H109 thine heart: H5315 and all the increase H4768 of thine house H1004 shall die H4191 in the flower of their age. H582 And this shall be a sign H226 unto thee, that shall come H935 upon thy two H8147 sons, H1121 on Hophni H2652 and Phinehas; H6372 in one H259 day H3117 they shall die H4191 both H8147 of them.
Else if ye do in any wise H7725 go back, H7725 and cleave H1692 unto the remnant H3499 of these nations, H1471 even these that remain H7604 among you, and shall make marriages H2859 with them, and go in H935 unto them, and they to you: Know H3045 for a certainty H3045 that the LORD H3068 your God H430 will no more H3254 drive out H3423 any of these nations H1471 from before H6440 you; but they shall be snares H6341 and traps H4170 unto you, and scourges H7850 in your sides, H6654 and thorns H6796 in your eyes, H5869 until ye perish H6 from off this good H2896 land H127 which the LORD H3068 your God H430 hath given H5414 you.
How goodly H2895 are thy tents, H168 O Jacob, H3290 and thy tabernacles, H4908 O Israel! H3478
But the soul H5315 that doeth H6213 ought presumptuously, H7311 H3027 whether he be born in the land, H249 or a stranger, H4480 H1616 the same reproacheth H1442 the LORD; H3068 and that soul H5315 shall be cut off H3772 from among H7130 his people. H5971 Because he hath despised H959 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and hath broken H6565 his commandment, H4687 that soul H5315 shall utterly H3772 be cut off; H3772 his iniquity H5771 shall be upon him.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Malachi 2
Commentary on Malachi 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
There are two great ordinances which divine wisdom has instituted, the wretched profanation of both of which is complained of and sharply reproved in this chapter.
Mal 2:1-9
What was said in the foregoing chapter was directed to the priests (ch. 1:6): Thus saith the Lord of hosts to you, O priests! that despise my name. But the crimes there charged upon them they were guilty of as sacrificers, and for those they might think it some excuse that they offered what the people brought, and therefore that, if they were not so good as they should be, it was not their fault, but the people's; and therefore here the corruptions there complained of are traced to the source and spring of them-the faults the priests were guilty of as teachers of the people, as expositors of the law and the lively oracles; and this is a part of their office which still remains in the hands of gospel-ministers (who are appointed to be pastors and teachers, like the priests under the law, though not sacrificers, like them), and therefore by them the admonition here is to be particularly regarded. If the priests had given the people better instructions, the people would have brought better offerings; and therefore the blame returns upon the priests: "And now, O you priests! this commandment is purely for you (v. 1), who should have taught the people the good knowledge of the Lord, and how to worship him aright.' Note, The governors of the churches are under God's government, and to him they are accountable. Even for those who command God has commandments. Nay (v. 4), you shall know that I have sent these commandments for you. They should know it either,
Let us now see what this commandment is which is for the priests, which, they must know, was sent to them; and let us put into method the particulars of the charge.
Mal 2:10-17
Corrupt practices are the genuine fruit and product of corrupt principles; and the badness of men's hearts and lives is owing to some loose atheistical notions which they have got and which they govern themselves by. Now, in these verses, we have an instance of this; we here find men dealing falsely with one another, and it is because they think falsely of their God. Observe,