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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Context of Malachi 2:8

6True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7For 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. 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, 9and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction." 10Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?

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 wickedly departed from my God.
• Psalms 119:102I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me.
• Isaiah 30:11leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel."
• Isaiah 59:13transgressing, and denying the Lord, and turning back from following our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words.
• Jeremiah 17:5Thus says the Lord: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord.
• Ezekiel 44:10But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment.
• Daniel 9:5we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.
• Hebrews 3:12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.
• Malachi 2:9and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction."
• 1 Samuel 2:17Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the Lord, for the men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt.
• Isaiah 9:16for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.
• Jeremiah 18:15But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway,
• Jeremiah 23:11"Both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in my house I have found their evil, declares the Lord.
• Matthew 15:2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat."
• Luke 11:45One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also."
• Romans 2:19and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are 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