Malachi 2:4

Malachi 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,” Says the Lord of hosts.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then at last you will know it was I who sent you this warning so that my covenant with the Levites can continue,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Context of Malachi 2:4

2If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me. 3“Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. 5“My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this 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 turned many from sin.

Malachi 2:4 word by word

וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֚י שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את לִֽהְי֤וֹת בְּרִיתִי֙ אֶת־לֵוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And ye shall knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• that I have sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• this commandmentמִצְוָהmitsvâh · commandmentH4687
• unto you, that my covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• might be with Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
• saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635

Cross-references for Malachi 2:4

• 1 Kings 22:25Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
• Isaiah 26:11Lord, your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame; let the fire reserved for your enemies consume them.
• Jeremiah 28:9But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.”
• Ezekiel 33:33“When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
• Ezekiel 38:23And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’
• Luke 10:11‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’
• Isaiah 1:24Therefore the Lord, the Lord Almighty, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah! I will vent my wrath on my foes and avenge myself on my enemies.
• Isaiah 27:9By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: When he makes all the altar stones to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles or incense altars will be left standing.
• Ezekiel 20:38I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
• Ezekiel 44:9This is what the Sovereign Lord says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh is to enter my sanctuary, not even the foreigners who live among the Israelites.
• Matthew 3:12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
• John 15:2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Commentaries on Malachi 2:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4This commandment - That in the first verse; to drive such priests from his presence and his service. That my covenant might be with Levi - I gave the priesthood and the service of my altar to that tribe.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you: - this, which He had just uttered. They who believe not God when threatening, know that He is in earnest and not to be trifled with, through His punishing. “That My covenant might be with Levi.” God willed to punish those who at that time rebelled against Him, that He might spare those who should come after them. He chastened the fathers, who showed their contempt toward Him, that their sons…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4My covenant with Levi: If the Levites dedicated themselves to serving God and gave up their own glory, God would grant them life and peace (Malachi 2:5; compare Numbers 8:5–26; 25:12–13). Their special responsibility was to teach God's instructions (Malachi 2:7).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. ye shall know--by bitter experience of consequences, that it was with this design I admonished you, in order "that My covenant with Levi might be" maintained; that is, that it was for your own good (which would be ensured by your maintaining the Levitical command) I admonished you, that ye should return to your duty [Maurer] (compare Mal 2:5, 6). Malachi's function was that of a reformer, leading back the priests and people to the law (Mal 4:4).Read the comment

Topics related to Malachi 2:4

• Covenant
• Levites

In the dictionaries

• Levi
• Levi, Levite
• Matthew, Levi
• Lord of Hosts
• Corrupt
• Profane
• Wherein
• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Malachi
• 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