King James Version
Malachi 1
14 verses with commentary
The Lord's Love for Israel
The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi. by: Heb. by the hand of
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.</strong> This opening verse introduces the final book of the Old Testament prophetic corpus. <strong>The burden</strong> (מַשָּׂא, <em>massa</em>) means oracle, pronouncement, or weighty message—literally "a lifting up" or "carrying," suggesting both the solemn weight of prophetic responsibility and the act of lifting one's voice in ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
1-5. These verses are introductory to the whole prophecy. God had shown His love to Israel; Israel ought to have made a proper return, but, on the contrary, Israel had abused God’s loving-kindness.
(1) **The burden.**—See Notes on Isaiah 13:1; Jeremiah 23:33-40; Zechariah 9:1; Zechariah 12:1.
**Malachi.**—See *Introduction.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**13. fled--**as birds from their nest (Pr 27:8; Is 16:2).
**me--**who both could and would have healed them (Ho 7:1), had they applied to Me.
**redeemed them--**from Egypt and their other enemies (Mi 6:4).
**lies--**(Psa 78:36; Jr 3:10). Pretending to be My worshippers, when they all the while worshipped idols (Ho 7:14; Ho 12:1); also defrauding Me of the glory of their deliverance, and asc...
Read full commentary →I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,
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KJV Study Commentary
God's opening declaration—'I have loved you, saith the LORD'—establishes covenant relationship's foundation. The Hebrew 'loved' (אָהַבְתִּי, ahavti) uses covenant love terminology, emphasizing loyal, steadfast commitment rather than mere emotion. When Israel responds skeptically, 'Wherein hast thou loved us?' they reveal spiritual blindness and ingratitude. God's answer points to sovereign electio...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **I have loved**—*i.e.,* shown abundant proof of my love. The prophet goes on to show how God has shown so great proofs of His love.
**Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?**—And would not one suppose from that fact they would have similar privileges? But not so.
**I loved Jacob, (3) and I hated Esau . . .**—The ethical reason for God’s love of Jacob and hatred of Esau is not touched upon here, nor is...
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**14. not cried unto me--**but unto other gods [Maurer], (Job 35:9, 10). Or, they did indeed cry unto Me, but not "with their heart": answering to "lies," Ho 7:13 (see on Ho 7:13).
**when they howled upon their beds--**sleepless with anxiety; image of deep affliction. Their cry is termed "howling," as it is the cry of anguish, not the cry of repentance and faith.
**assemble ... for corn, &...
Read full commentary →And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.</strong> This verse continues God's answer to Israel's skepticism about His love (v. 2). The Hebrew שָׂנֵאתִי (<em>sane'ti</em>), "I hated," must be understood in its covenantal context—not emotional hatred but divine rejection for covenant purposes. Where Jacob received election and blessing...
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**15. I ... bound--**when I saw their arms as it were relaxed with various disasters, I bound them so as to strengthen their sinews; image from surgery [Calvin]. Maurer translates, "I instructed them" to war (Psa 18:34; 144:1), namely, under Jeroboam II (2Ki 14:25). Grotius explains, "Whether I chastised them (Margin) or strengthened their arms, they imagined mischief against Me." English Version ...
Read full commentary →Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down.</strong> Edom's defiant response to judgment reveals proud self-sufficiency. <strong>We are impoverished</strong> (רֻשַּׁשְׁנוּ, <em>rushashnu</em>) acknowledges their devastation, but <strong>we will return and build</strong> (וְ...
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(4) **Whereas** **. . .** **saith.**—Better, *If Edom say.*
**We are impoverished.**—Better, *we are broken to pieces.* Edom’s ineffectual attempts to restore itself will be looked on as proofs of God’s wrath against the nation on account of its wickedness, and will acquire for it the titles “border of wickedness,” “the people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.” “Border” means “confi...
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**16. return, but not to the Most High--**or, "to one who is not the Most High," one very different from Him, a stock or a stone. So the Septuagint.
**deceitful bow--**(Psa 78:57). A bow which, from its faulty construction, shoots wide of the mark. So Israel pretends to seek God, but turns aside to idols.
**for the rage of their tongue--**their boast of safety from Egyptian aid, and their "lie...
Read full commentary →And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. from: or, upon: Heb. from upon
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.</strong> This verse promises that Israel will witness Edom's permanent desolation and recognize God's sovereign justice. <strong>Your eyes shall see</strong> (וְעֵינֵיכֶם תִּרְאֶינָה, <em>ve'eineikhem tire'enah</em>) emphasizes personal observation—not secondhand reports but direct visual evide...
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(5) **And your eyes shall see.**—Comp. such expressions as Psalm 37:34; Psalm 52:6; Psalm 91:8. As with the individual, so with a nation: to stand in safety and be a witness to the destruction of the enemy is looked on as a sign of God’s favour.
**The Lord will be magnified . . . Israel.**—Some render, *let the Lord be magnified,* as in Psalm 35:27; Psalm 40:16; others, *the Lord is great: i.e.,* ...
Read full commentary →Defiled Offerings
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name.</strong> God shifts from defending His love for Israel (vv. 2-5) to indicting priestly contempt. The analogy establishes universal principles: <strong>A son honoureth his father</strong>...
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(6-14) The prophet’s rebuke for the dishonouring of God’s name is addressed to the priests as the responsible persons, but applies to the whole nation.
(6) **A** **father.**—God is distinctly called the Father of Israel in Deuteronomy 32:6; Deuteronomy 32:18. (Comp. Exodus 4:22 : “My son, my firstborn, is Israel.”)
**A master.**—Comp. Isaiah 1:3.
**Mine honour**—*i.e.*, *the respect due to me.*
**...
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CHAPTER 8 Ho 8:1-14. Prophecy of the Irruption of the Assyrians, in Punishment for Israel's Apostasy, Idolatry, and Setting Up of Kings without God's Sanction.
In Ho 8:14, Judah is said to multiply fenced cities; and in Ho 8:7-9, Israel, to its great hurt, is said to have gone up to Assyria for help. This answers best to the reign of Menahem. For it was then that Uzziah of Judah, his contemporar...
Read full commentary →Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. offer: or, bring unto, etc
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.</strong> God specifies the priests' contempt: offering <strong>polluted bread</strong> (לֶחֶם מְגֹאָל, <em>lehem mego'al</em>) on His altar. לֶחֶם (<em>lehem</em>, bread) refers to sacrificial offerings; מְגֹאָל (<em>mego'al</em>, polluted/defiled) indi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **Ye offer.**—Literally, *offering.*
**Bread.**—This is not the shewbread, which was not offered upon the altar. The word rendered “bread” means in Arabic “flesh;” in Hebrew, “food generally.” This word is applied (Leviticus 3:11; Leviticus 3:16) to the fat portions of the peace offerings, which were burned, and is there translated “food.” (See references there.) In Leviticus 21:6; Leviticus 2...
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**2. My God, we know thee--**the singular, "My," is used distributively, each one so addressing God. They, in their hour of need, plead their knowledge of God as the covenant-people, while in their acts they acknowledge Him not (compare Mt 7:21, 22; Tit 1:16; also Is 29:13; Jr 7:4). The Hebrew joins "Israel," not as English Version, with "shall cry," but "We, Israel, know thee"; God denies the cla...
Read full commentary →And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. for: Heb. to
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.</strong> God specifies the defective sacrifices: <strong>the blind</strong> (עִוֵּר, <em>ivver</em>), <strong>the lame</strong> (פִּסֵּחַ, <em>pisseaḥ</em>), and <strong>sick<...
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(8) **If**.—Better, *when.*
**Blind . . . lame . . . sick.**—This was contrary to Leviticus 22:22, &c. And now, to show them the heinous nature of their offence against the majesty of God, the prophet asks them whether they could offer such unsound animals to their civil ruler with any chance of acceptance.
**Governor.**—The word in the Hebrew is probably of foreign origin, but it occurs as early ...
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**3. Israel--**God repeats the name in opposition to their use of it (Ho 8:2).
**the thing that is good--**Jerome translates, "God" who is good and doing good (Psa 119:68). He is the chief object rejected, but with Him also all that is good.
**the enemy shall pursue him--**in just retribution from God.
And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. God: Heb. the face of God by: Heb. from your hand
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.</strong> The verse drips with irony. <strong>Beseech God that he will be gracious</strong> (חַלּוּ־נָא פְּנֵי־אֵל וִיחָנֵנוּ, <em>ḥallu-na fenei-El viḥanenu</em>)—God challenges the priests to pray for mercy despite their contemptuous worshi...
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(9) This verse is severely ironical. The word “God” is expressly used, rather than “the Lord,” as a contrast to the human “governor” mentioned above. The meaning is: “You know you dare not treat thus contemptuously your human governor, what hope then is there of such disrespectful conduct finding favour with God—the Judge of all the earth?”
**That he will be gracious.**—These words refer, perhaps,...
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**4. kings ... not by me--**not with My sanction (1Ki 11:31; 12:20). Israel set up Jeroboam and his successors, whereas God had appointed the house of David as the rightful kings of the whole nation.
**I knew it not--**I approved it not (Psa 1:6).
**of ... gold ... idols--**(Ho 2:8; 13:2).
**that they may be cut off--**that is, though warned of the consequences of idolatry, as it were with o...
Read full commentary →Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.</strong> God wishes someone would <strong>shut the doors</strong> (סֹגֵר דְּלָתוֹת, <em>soger delatot</em>)—the temple doors—to end the travesty of corrupt worship. The phras...
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(10) The prophet is now supposed by many commentators to say that the Temple might as well be closed, as far as concerns any pleasure the Lord takes in their offerings.
**Who is there even among you . . . doors . . . altar for nought**.—Those that take the above-mentioned view of the passage would render, *O that there were one among even you who would shut the doors, that ye might not light mine ...
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**5. hath cast thee off--**As the ellipsis of thee is unusual, Maurer translates, "thy calf is abominable." But the antithesis to Ho 8:3 establishes English Version, "Israel hath cast off the thing that is good"; therefore, in just retribution, "thy calf hath cast thee off," that is, is made by God the cause of thy being cast off (Ho 10:15). Jeroboam, during his sojourn in Egypt, saw Apis worshipp...
Read full commentary →For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.</strong> In stunning contrast to Israel's corrupt worship (v. 10), God announces global worship. <strong>From the rising of the sun...
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(11) This verse contains no verb, and, as far as the rules of grammar are concerned, its participles may be rendered either by presents or futures. If we take the words as referring to the present, we are met by the insurmountable difficulty that in no sense, at the time of Malachi, could the Lord’s Name be said to be great over all the earth, or pure sacrifices to be offered to Him in every place...
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**6. from Israel was it--**that is, the calf originated with them, not from Me. "It also," as well as their "kings set up" by them, "but not by Me" (Ho 8:4).
But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.</strong> Following the promise of pure Gentile worship (v. 11), God returns to Israel's profanation. <strong>Ye have profaned it</strong> (וְאַתֶּם מְחַלְּלִים אוֹתוֹ, <em>ve'attem meḥallelim oto</em>)—the verb חָלַל (<em>ḥalal</em>) means to profane, pollute, ...
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(12) **But ye have.**—Better, *but ye profane it*—viz., “my name” (Malachi 1:11). The word “it” is said by Jewish tradition to be an euphemism for “me.” The present contemptuous conduct of God’s priests is contrasted with the prophesied reverence of heathen nations.
**Fruit . . . meat,** denote the same as “bread” of Malachi 1:7. They show that they think it contemptible by not taking the trouble ...
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**7. sown ... reap--**(Pr 22:8; Ga 6:7). "Sow ... wind," that is, to make the vain show of worship, while faith and obedience are wanting [Calvin]. Rather, to offer senseless supplications to the calves for good harvests (compare Ho 2:8); the result being that God will make them "reap no stalk," that is, "standing corn." Also, the phraseology proverbially means that all their undertakings shall be...
Read full commentary →Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. and ye have: or, whereas ye might have blown it away
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.</strong> The priests' verbal contempt continues: <strong>Behold, what a weariness is it!</strong> (הִנֵּה מַתְּלָאָה, <em>hinneh mattela'ah</em>). The...
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(13) **Said.**—Better, *say.*
**And ye have snuffed at it.**—Better, *and ye puff at it*—that is, treat it with contempt, “pooh-pooh it,” as we say. The service of the Temple, which they ought to have regarded as their highest privilege and pleasure, they look on as burdensome and contemptible. For “brought,” read *bring.*
**Torn.**—The word *Gâzûl* elsewhere means “stolen” (Deuteronomy 28:31), or...
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**8. vessel wherein is no pleasure--**(Psa 41:12; Jr 22:28; 48:38).
But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. which: Heb. in whose flock is
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.</strong> God pronounces curse on <strong>the deceiver</strong> (נוֹכֵל, <em>nokhel</em>)—one who deals deceitfully, acts treacherously. This person has <strong>in his flock a male</s...
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(14) Some consider that two cases are mentioned in this verse. (1) One who acts deceitfully (by offering a *female* as a *burnt offering,* which is contrary to the Law, while there is in his flock a *male*); (2) and one who makes *a vow* (to offer a *sacrifice of peace offerings,* for which either a male or a female was allowable, provided it were without a blemish: Leviticus 22:23), and then offe...
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**9. gone ... to Assyria--**referring to Menahem's application for Pul's aid in establishing him on the throne (compare Ho 5:13; 7:11). Menahem's name is read in the inscriptions in the southwest palace of Nimrod, as a tributary to the Assyrian king in his eighth year. The dynasty of Pul, or Phalluka, was supplanted at Nineveh by that of Tiglath-pileser, about 768 (or 760) B.C. Semiramis seems to ...
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