New Living Translation
Malachi 2:7
7“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s 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“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin. “The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 8But 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. 9“So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.”
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- For the priest’sכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
- should keepשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
- knowledgeדַּ֫עַתda‛ath · knowledgeH1847
- and they should seekבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- the lawתּוֹרָהtôrâh tôrâh · instructionH8451
- at his mouthפֶּהpeh · lipH6310
- the messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
Cross-references for Malachi 2:7
- Leviticus 10:11And you must teach the Israelites all the decrees that the Lord has given them through Moses.”
- Deuteronomy 17:8“Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide—for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose,
- Deuteronomy 21:5Then the Levitical priests must step forward, for the Lord your God has chosen them to minister before him and to pronounce blessings in the Lord’s name. They are to decide all legal and criminal cases.
- Deuteronomy 24:8“In all cases involving serious skin diseases, be careful to follow the instructions of the Levitical priests; obey all the commands I have given them.
- 2 Chronicles 17:8He sent Levites along with them, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah. He also sent out the priests Elishama and Jehoram.
- 2 Chronicles 30:22Hezekiah encouraged all the Levites regarding the skill they displayed as they served the Lord. The celebration continued for seven days. Peace offerings were sacrificed, and the people gave thanks to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.
- Ezra 7:10This was because Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the Lord and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.
- Nehemiah 8:2So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand.
- Jeremiah 15:19This is how the Lord responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; do not let them influence you!
- Jeremiah 18:18Then the people said, “Come on, let’s plot a way to stop Jeremiah. We have plenty of priests and wise men and prophets. We don’t need him to teach the word and give us advice and prophecies. Let’s spread rumors about him and ignore what he says.”
- Haggai 2:11“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says. Ask the priests this question about the law:
- 2 Timothy 2:24A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
- Malachi 3:1“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- Isaiah 42:19Who is as blind as my own people, my servant? Who is as deaf as my messenger? Who is as blind as my chosen people, the servant of the Lord?
- Isaiah 44:26But I carry out the predictions of my prophets! By them I say to Jerusalem, ‘People will live here again,’ and to the towns of Judah, ‘You will be rebuilt; I will restore all your ruins!’
- Haggai 1:13Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave the people this message from the Lord: “I am with you, says 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
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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