God’s Word Translation
Malachi 3:7
7Since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my laws and have not followed them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return?’
Malachi 3:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
- New International Version (NIV)Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty. “But you ask, ‘How are we to return?’
- English Standard Version (ESV)From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts. But you say, 'How shall we return?'
- New King James Version (NKJV)Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’
Context of Malachi 3:7
5“I will come to judge you. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, lying witnesses, and those who cheat workers out of their wages and oppress widows and orphans. I will also testify against those who deprive foreigners of their rights. None of them fear me,” says the Lord of Armies. 6“I, the Lord, never change. That is why you descendants of Jacob haven’t been destroyed yet. Since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my laws and have not followed them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of Armies. “But you ask, ‘How can we return?’ 8“Can a person cheat God? Yet, you are cheating me! “But you ask, ‘How are we cheating you?’ “When ⌞you don’t bring⌟ a tenth of your income and other contributions. 9So a curse is on you because the whole nation is cheating me!
Read all of Malachi 3Malachi 3:7 word by word
לְמִימֵ֨י אֲבֹתֵיכֶ֜ם סַרְתֶּ֤ם מֵֽחֻקַּי֙ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַרְתֶּ֔ם שׁ֤וּבוּ אֵלַי֙ וְאָשׁ֣וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֥ה נָשֽׁוּב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Even from the daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- of your fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
- ye are gone awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
- from mine ordinancesחֹקchôq · statute: decreeH2706
- and have not keptשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: obeyH8104
- Returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- unto you, saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
Cross-references for Malachi 3:7
- Deuteronomy 9:7Never forget how you made the Lord your God angry in the desert. You’ve rebelled against the Lord from the day you left Egypt until you came here.
- Deuteronomy 31:20I will bring them into the land that I swore to give to their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. When they have eaten all they want and have become fat, they will turn to other gods and worship them. They will despise me and reject my promise.
- Nehemiah 9:16But they—our own ancestors—acted arrogantly. They became stubborn and wouldn’t obey your commands.
- Psalms 78:8Then they will not be like their ancestors, a stubborn and rebellious generation. Their hearts were not loyal. Their spirits were not faithful to God.
- Ezekiel 20:8“ ‘But they rebelled against me and refused to listen to me. Not one of them got rid of the detestable idols that they looked to for help. They didn’t abandon the disgusting idols of Egypt. So I was going to pour out my fury on them and unleash my anger on them in Egypt.
- Luke 11:48So you are witnesses and approve of what your ancestors did. They murdered the prophets for whom you build monuments.
- Acts 7:51“How stubborn can you be? How can you be so heartless and disobedient? You’re just like your ancestors. They always opposed the Holy Spirit, and so do you!
- Leviticus 26:40“But if they confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors—the treacherous things they did to oppose me—
- Deuteronomy 4:29But if you look for the Lord your God when you are among those nations, you will find him whenever you search for him with all your heart and with all your soul.
- Deuteronomy 30:1All these blessings and curses I have spoken about will happen to you. Take them to heart when you are among all the nations where the Lord your God will scatter you.
- 1 Kings 8:47If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they’ve done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked,’
- Nehemiah 1:8Please remember what you told us through your servant Moses: ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations.
- Isaiah 55:6Seek the Lord while he may be found. Call on him while he is near.
- Jeremiah 3:12Go and proclaim these things to the north: “ ‘Come back, unfaithful Israel. It is the Lord speaking. I will no longer frown on you because I’m merciful,’ declares the Lord. ‘I will no longer be angry with you.
- Ezekiel 18:30“That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel,” declares the Almighty Lord. “Change the way you think and act. Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin.
- Hosea 14:1Israel, return to the Lord your God. You have stumbled because of your sins.
Commentaries on Malachi 3:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7Gone away from mine ordinances - Never acting according to their spirit and design. Return unto me - There is still space to repent. Wherein shall we return? - Their consciences were seared, and they knew not that they were sinners.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Even from the days of your fathers - Back to those days and from them ye are gone away from My ordinances. “I am not changed from good; ye are not changed from evil. I am unchangeable in holiness; ye are unchangeable in perversity.” Return unto Me - The beginning of our return is from the preventing grace of God. Jeremiah 31:18; Lamentations 5:21, “turn Thou me, and I shall be turned, for Thou art the Lord my God,” is the voice of the soul to God…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 The men of that generation turned away from God, they had not kept his ordinances. God gives them a gracious call. But they said, Wherein shall we return? God notices what returns our hearts make to the calls of his word. It shows great perverseness in sin, when men make afflictions excuses for sin, which are sent to part between them and their sins. Here is an earnest exhortation to reform. God must be served in the first place; and the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7turn away: In a covenant relationship, this phrase expresses a change in loyalty by Israel or God. It usually means repentance, a complete turn back to God or a full shift toward the Lord. The command is urgent and requires an immediate response. The accusation of fake worship builds on similar charges in the second argument (see Malachi 1:6–14). God's promise to open the windows of heaven (Malachi 3:10) shows his power as a great King (see 1:14).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-127-12. Reproof for the non-payment of tithes and offerings, which is the cause of their national calamities, and promise of prosperity on their paying them. from ... days of your fathers--Ye live as your fathers did when they brought on themselves the Babylonian captivity, and ye wish to follow in their steps. This shows that nothing but God's unchanging long-suffering had prevented their being long ago "consumed" (Mal 3:6). Return unto me--in penitence. I…Read the comment
Topics related to Malachi 3:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Malachi 3
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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