New International Version
Malachi 2:8
8But 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. 7“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. 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. 9“So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.” 10Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?
Read all of Malachi 2Malachi 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; I am not guilty of turning from my God.
- Psalms 119:102I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.
- Isaiah 30:11Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!”
- Isaiah 59:13rebellion and treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, inciting revolt and oppression, uttering lies our hearts have conceived.
- Jeremiah 17:5This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
- Ezekiel 44:10“ ‘The Levites who went far from me when Israel went astray and who wandered from me after their idols must bear the consequences of their sin.
- Daniel 9:5we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.
- Hebrews 3:12See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.
- Malachi 2:9“So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”
- 1 Samuel 2:17This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
- Isaiah 9:16Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.
- Jeremiah 18:15Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up.
- Jeremiah 23:11“Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness,” declares the Lord.
- Matthew 15:2“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
- Luke 11:45One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
- Romans 2:19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark,
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
In the dictionaries
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
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