Malachi 2:8

Malachi 2:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
• New International Version (NIV)But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts,
• New King James Version (NKJV)But you have departed from the way; You have caused many to stumble at the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Context of Malachi 2:8

6True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and integrity and turned many from iniquity. 7For 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. “You, on the other hand, have turned from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of Armies. 9“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping my ways but are showing partiality in your instruction.” 10Don’t all of us have one Father? Didn’t one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?

Malachi 2:8 word by word

וְאַתֶּם֙ סַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ הִכְשַׁלְתֶּ֥ם רַבִּ֖ים בַּתּוֹרָ֑ה שִֽׁחַתֶּם֙ בְּרִ֣ית הַלֵּוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But ye are departedסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• out of the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• ye have caused manyרַבrab · manyH7227
• to stumbleכָּשַׁלkâshal · to stumbleH3782
• at the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
• ye have corruptedשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
• the covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• of Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
• saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635

Cross-references for Malachi 2:8

• Psalms 18:21For I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not turned from my God to wickedness.
• Psalms 119:102I have not turned from your judgments, for you yourself have instructed me.
• Isaiah 30:11Get out of the way! Leave the pathway. Rid us of the Holy One of Israel.”
• Isaiah 59:13transgression and deception against the Lord, turning away from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.
• Jeremiah 17:5This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the person who trusts in mankind. He makes human flesh his strength, and his heart turns from the Lord.
• Ezekiel 44:10Surely the Levites who wandered away from me when Israel went astray, and who strayed from me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity.
• Daniel 9:5we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commands and ordinances.
• Hebrews 3:12Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
• Malachi 2:9“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping my ways but are showing partiality in your instruction.”
• 1 Samuel 2:17So the servants’ sin was very severe in the presence of the Lord, because the men treated the Lord’s offering with contempt.
• Isaiah 9:16The leaders of the people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up.
• Jeremiah 18:15Yet my people have forgotten me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways on the ancient roads, and make them walk on new paths, not the highway.
• Jeremiah 23:11because both prophet and priest are ungodly, even in my house I have found their evil. This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they don’t wash their hands when they eat.”
• Luke 11:45One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things you insult us too.”
• Romans 2:19and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness,

Commentaries on Malachi 2:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8But ye are departed out of the way - Ye are become impure yourselves, and ye have led others into iniquity.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8But ye - oare departed out of the way “of knowledge, truth, equity, fear of God, which I appointed to Aaron and the Levites.” “Ye have caused many to stumble at the law.” He does not simply say, “in the law,” but “at” it. The law was what they stumbled at. They did not only misunderstand the law, through the false teaching of the priests, as though it allowed things which in truth were sins (although this too); itself was their source of stumbling. As…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-9Malachi’s second message confirms the Lord as God and father of Israel. God alone deserves true worship. The first part (Malachi 1:6–14) shows how the Israelites dishonored God despite his fatherly care and great power. The second part (Malachi 2:1–9) warns the priests of Judah against sacrificing sick and defective animals and criticizes them for not teaching God’s instructions (2:6–8).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 2:8

• Minister, Christian

In the dictionaries

• Levi
• Levi, Levite
• Matthew, Levi
• Lord of Hosts
• Corrupt
• Malachi
• Profane
• Wherein
• Priests and Levites

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