Malachi 2:7

Malachi 2:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
• New International Version (NIV)“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.

Context of Malachi 2:7

5“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, which I gave to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. 6True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts. 8But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts. 9“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

Malachi 2:7 word by word

כִּֽי־שִׂפְתֵ֤י כֹהֵן֙ יִשְׁמְרוּ־דַ֔עַת וְתוֹרָ֖ה יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ מִפִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֛י מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה־צְבָא֖וֹת הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

• Forכִּיkîy · forH3588
• the lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
• of a priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• should preserveשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
• and people should seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• instructionתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• from his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
• heהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• is the messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
• of the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of Hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635

Cross-references for Malachi 2:7

• Leviticus 10:11so that you may teach the Israelites all the statutes that the LORD has given them through Moses.”
• Deuteronomy 17:8If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
• Deuteronomy 21:5And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to serve Him and pronounce blessings in His name and to give a ruling in every dispute and case of assault.
• Deuteronomy 24:8In cases of infectious skin diseases, be careful to diligently follow everything the Levitical priests instruct you. Be careful to do as I have commanded them.
• 2 Chronicles 17:8accompanied by certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah—along with the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
• 2 Chronicles 30:22And Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites who performed skillfully before the LORD. For seven days they ate their assigned portion, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the LORD, the God of their fathers.
• Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.
• Nehemiah 8:2On the first day of the seventh month, Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could listen and understand.
• Jeremiah 15:19Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
• Jeremiah 18:18Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us denounce him and pay no heed to any of his words.”
• Haggai 2:11“This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Ask the priests for a ruling.
• 2 Timothy 2:24And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
• Malachi 3:1“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts.
• Isaiah 42:19Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD?
• Isaiah 44:26who confirms the message of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They will be rebuilt, and I will restore their ruins,’
• Haggai 1:13Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, delivered the message of the LORD to the people: “I am with you,” declares the LORD.

Commentaries on Malachi 2:7

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7For the priest‘s lips should keep knowledge - o“He assigns the reason for what he had just said, the law of truth was in his mouth; they had done what it was their duty to do; as in Ecclesiasticus it is said of Aaron (Titus 1:9, exhort by sound doctrine and to convince gainsayers.‘ Wherefore Ambrose calls the Bible, which contains the law of God, the book of priests,‘ as specially belonging to them, to be specially studied by them. Jerome notes that he…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7The priests had been trusted with God’s sacred teaching, as given in the law of Moses. As teachers, they were responsible for guarding God’s covenant (his binding promises) with Israel (Deuteronomy 33:9–10). messenger (Hebrew mal’ak): This word may intentionally echo the name Malachi (Hebrew mal’aki, meaning “my messenger”). In the Old Testament, this title usually describes a prophet. Here, Malachi applies it to priests, because they were responsible for…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-95-9. He describes the promises, and also the conditions of the covenant; Levi's observance of the conditions and reward (compare Nu 25:11-13, Phinehas' zeal); and on the other hand the violation of the conditions, and consequent punishment of the present priests. "Life" here includes the perpetuity implied in Nu 25:13, "everlasting priesthood." "Peace" is specified both here and there. Maurer thus explains it; the Hebrew is, literally, "My covenant was…Read the comment

Topics related to Malachi 2:7

• Knowledge
• Levites
• Messenger
• Minister, Christian
• Priest

In the dictionaries

• Lord of Hosts
• Angel
• Corrupt
• Priest
• Profane
• Wherein
• Angels of the Seven Churches
• Intercession
• Malachi
• Messenger

Commentaries on Malachi 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings