New American Standard Bible 2020
Malachi 2:7
7For the lips of a priest should maintain 1knowledge, and people should 2seek 3instruction from his mouth; for he is the 4messenger of the Lord of armies.
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, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and was in awe of My name. 6True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and justice, and he turned many back from wrongdoing. For the lips of a priest should maintain knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of armies. 8But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of armies. 9“So I also have made you despised and of low reputation in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction.”
Read all of Malachi 2Malachi 2:7 word by word
כִּֽי־שִׂפְתֵ֤י כֹהֵן֙ יִשְׁמְרוּ־דַ֔עַת וְתוֹרָ֖ה יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ מִפִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֛י מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה־צְבָא֖וֹת הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear
- For the lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
- of a priestכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- should maintainשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
- seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- instructionתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- from his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of armiesצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
Cross-references for Malachi 2:7
- Leviticus 10:11and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them through Moses.”
- Deuteronomy 17:8“If a case is too difficult for you to decide, between one kind of homicide or another, between one kind of lawsuit or another, and between one kind of assault or another, that are cases of dispute in your courts, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the Lord your God chooses.
- Deuteronomy 21:5Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, because the Lord your God has chosen them to serve Him and to bless in the name of the Lord; and every dispute and violent crime shall be settled by them.
- Deuteronomy 24:8“Be careful about an infestation of leprosy, that you are very attentive and act in accordance with everything that the Levitical priests teach you; just as I have commanded them, you shall be careful to act.
- 2 Chronicles 17:8and with them the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
- 2 Chronicles 30:22Then Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good insight in the things of the Lord. So they ate for the appointed seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their fathers.
- Ezra 7:10For Ezra had firmly resolved to study the Law of the Lord and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.
- Nehemiah 8:2Then Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month.
- Jeremiah 15:19Therefore, this is what the Lord says: “If you return, then I will restore you-- You will stand before Me; And if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become My spokesman. They, for their part, may turn to you, But as for you, you are not to turn to them.
- Jeremiah 18:18Then they said, “Come and let’s devise plans against Jeremiah. Certainly the Law is not going to be lost by the priest, nor advice by the wise, nor the divine word by the prophet! Come, and let’s strike at him with our tongue, and let’s pay no attention to any of his words.”
- Haggai 2:11“The Lord of armies says this: ‘Now ask the priests for a ruling:
- 2 Timothy 2:24The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, skillful in teaching, patient when wronged,
- Malachi 3:1“Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear a way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies.
- Isaiah 42:19Who is blind but My servant, Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send? Who is so blind as one who is at peace with Me, Or so blind as the servant of the Lord?
- Isaiah 44:26Confirming the word of His servant And carrying out the purpose of His messengers. It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’ And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built.’ And I will raise her ruins again.
- Haggai 1:13Then Haggai, the messenger of the Lord, spoke by the commission of the Lord to the people, saying, “‘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
In the dictionaries
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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