Revised Literal Translation

Malachi 3

1Behold, I will sendשֹׁלֵחַ֙sho.le.aChH7971my messengerמַלְאָכִ֔יmal.'a.KhiH4397,and he shall prepareוּפִנָּה־u.fi.nah-H6437the wayדֶ֖רֶךְDe.rekhH1870beforeלְפָנָ֑יle.fa.NaiH6440me: and the Lordהָאָד֣וֹן׀ha.'a.DonH113,whom ye seekמְבַקְשִׁ֗יםme.vak.ShimH1245,shall suddenlyוּפִתְאֹם֩u.fit.'OmH6597comeיָב֨וֹאya.Vo'H935to his templeהֵיכָל֜וֹhei.kha.LoH1964,even the messengerוּמַלְאַ֨ךְu.mal.'AkhH4397of the covenantהַבְּרִ֜יתha.be.RitH1285,whom ye delightחֲפֵצִים֙cha.fe.TzimH2655in: behold, he shall comeבָ֔אVa'H935,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635.

2But who may abideמְכַלְכֵּל֙me.khal.KelH3557the dayי֣וֹםYomH3117of his comingבּוֹא֔וֹbo.'OH935?and who shall standהָעֹמֵ֖דha.'o.MedH5975when he appearethבְּהֵרָֽאוֹת֑וֹbe.he.ra.'o.ToH7200? for he islike a refiner’sמְצָרֵ֔ףme.tza.RefH6884fireכְּאֵ֣שׁke.'EshH784,and like fullers’מְכַבְּסִֽים׃me.kha.be.SimH3526soapוּכְבֹרִ֖יתu.khe.vo.RitH1287:

3And he shall sitוְיָשַׁ֨בve.ya.ShavH3427asa refinerמְצָרֵ֤ףme.tza.RefH6884and purifierוּמְטַהֵר֙u.me.ta.HerH2891of silverכֶּ֔סֶףKe.sefH3701:and he shall purifyוְטִהַ֤רve.ti.HarH2891the sonsבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-H1121of Leviלֵוִי֙le.ViH3878,and purgeוְזִקַּ֣קve.zi.KakH2212them as goldכַּזָּהָ֖בka.za.HavH2091and silverוְכַכָּ֑סֶףve.kha.Ka.sefH3701,that they may offerמַגִּישֵׁ֥יma.gi.SheiH5066unto Yhwhלַֽיהוָ֔הla.Yah.wehH3068an offeringמִנְחָ֖הmin.ChahH4503in righteousnessבִּצְדָקָֽה׃bitz.da.KahH6666.

4Then shall the offeringמִנְחַ֥תmin.ChatH4503of Judahיְהוּדָ֖הye.hu.DahH3063and Jerusalemוִירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑םvi.ru.sha.LimH3389be pleasantוְעָֽרְבָה֙ve.'a.re.VahH6149unto Yhwhלַֽיהוָ֔הla.Yah.wehH3068,as in the daysכִּימֵ֣יki.MeiH3117of oldעוֹלָ֔םo.LamH5769,and as in formerקַדְמֹנִיּֽוֹת׃kad.mo.ni.YotH6931yearsוּכְשָׁנִ֖יםu.khe.sha.NimH8141.

5And I will come nearוְקָרַבְתִּ֣יve.ka.rav.TiH7126to you to judgmentלַמִּשְׁפָּט֒la.mish.PatH4941;and I will be a swiftמְמַהֵ֗רme.ma.HerH4116witnessעֵ֣ד'edH5707against the sorcerersבַּֽמְכַשְּׁפִים֙bam.kha.she.FimH3784,and against the adulterersוּבַמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔יםu.vam.Na.'a.FimH5003,and against falseלַשָּׁ֑קֶרla.Sha.kerH8267swearersוּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖יםu.va.nish.ba.'ImH7650,and against those that oppressוּבְעֹשְׁקֵ֣יu.ve.'o.she.KeiH6231the hirelingשָׂ֠כִירSa.khirH7916in hiswagesשְׂכַר־se.kha.r.Sa-H7939,the widowאַלְמָנָ֨ה'al.ma.NahH490,and the fatherlessוְיָת֤וֹםve.ya.TomH3490,and that turn asideוּמַטֵּי־u.ma.tei-H5186the strangerגֵר֙gerH1616from his right,and fearיְרֵא֔וּנִיye.re.'U.niH3372not me, saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635.

6For I amYhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068,I changeשָׁנִ֑יתִיsha.Ni.tiH8138not; therefore ye sonsבְּנֵֽי־be.nei-H1121of Jacobיַעֲקֹ֖בya.'a.KoH3290are not consumedכְלִיתֶֽם׃khe.li.TemH3615.

7Even from the daysלְמִימֵ֨יle.mi.MeiH3117of your fathersאֲבֹתֵיכֶ֜ם'a.vo.tei.KhemH1ye are gone awayסַרְתֶּ֤םsar.TemH5493from mine ordinancesמֵֽחֻקַּי֙me.chu.KaiH2706,and have not keptשְׁמַרְתֶּ֔םshe.mar.TemH8104them.Returnשׁ֤וּבוּShu.vuH7725unto me, and I will returnוְאָשׁ֣וּבָהve.'a.Shu.vahH7725unto you, saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635.But ye saidוַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖םva.'a.mar.TemH559,Wherein shall we returnנָשֽׁוּב׃na.ShuvH7725?

8Will a manאָדָ֜ם'a.DamH120robהֲיִקְבַּ֨עha.yik.Ba'H6906Godאֱלֹהִ֗ים'E.lo.HimH430?Yet ye have robbedקֹבְעִ֣יםkoe.'ImH6906me. But ye sayוַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖םva.'a.mar.TemH559,Wherein have we robbedקְבַעֲנ֑וּךָke.va.'a.Nu.chaH6906thee? In tithesהַֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֖רha.ma.'a.SerH4643and offeringsוְהַתְּרוּמָֽה׃ve.ha.te.ru.MahH8641.

9Ye arecursedנֵֽאָרִ֔יםne.'a.RimH779with a curseבַּמְּאֵרָה֙ba.me.'e.RahH3994:for ye have robbedקֹבְעִ֑יםkoe.'ImH6906me, eventhis whole nationהַגּ֖וֹיha.GoyH1471.

10Bringהָבִ֨יאוּha.Vi.'uH935ye all the tithesהַֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֜רha.ma.'a.SerH4643into the storehouseהָאוֹצָ֗רha.'o.TzarH214,that there may be meatטֶ֙רֶף֙te.refH2964in mine houseH1004,and proveוּבְחָנ֤וּנִיu.ve.cha.Nu.niH974me now herewithבָּזֹ֔אתba.ZotH2063,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֑וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,if I will not openאֶפְתַּ֣ח'ef.TachH6605you the windowsאֲרֻבּ֣וֹת'a.ru.BotH699of heavenהַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064,and pour you outוַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥יva.ha.ri.ko.TiH7324a blessingבְּרָכָ֖הbe.ra.KhahH1293, that there shall not be roomenoughדָֽי׃DaiH1767to receive it.

11And I will rebukeוְגָעַרְתִּ֤יve.ga.'ar.TiH1605the devourerבָּֽאֹכֵ֔לba.'o.KhelH398for your sakes, and he shall not destroyיַשְׁחִ֥תyash.ChitH7843the fruitsפְּרִ֣יpe.RiH6529of your groundהָאֲדָמָ֑הha.'a.da.MahH127;neither shall your vineהַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ha.Ge.fenH1612cast her fruitתְשַׁכֵּ֨לte.sha.KelH7921before the time in the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶ֔הba.sa.DehH7704,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635.

12And all nationsהַגּוֹיִ֑םha.go.YimH1471shall call you blessedוְאִשְּׁר֥וּve.'i.she.RuH833:for ye shall be a delightsomeחֵ֔פֶץChe.fetzH2656landאֶ֣רֶץ'E.retzH776,saithאָמַ֖ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃ סtze.va.'otH6635.

13Your wordsדִּבְרֵיכֶ֖םdiv.rei.KhemH1697have been stoutחָזְק֥וּcha.ze.KuH2388against me, saithאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068.Yet ye sayוַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕םva.'a.mar.TemH559,What have we spokenנִּדְבַּ֖רְנוּnid.Bar.nuH1696so much against thee?

14Ye have saidאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם'a.mar.TemH559, It isvainשָׁ֖וְאshav'H7723to serveעֲבֹ֣ד'a.VodH5647Godאֱלֹהִ֑ים'E.lo.HimH430:and what profitבֶּ֗צַעBe.tza'H1215is itthat we have keptשָׁמַ֙רְנוּ֙sha.Mar.nuH8104his ordinanceמִשְׁמַרְתּ֔וֹmish.mar.ToH4931,and that we have walkedהָלַ֙כְנוּ֙ha.Lakh.nuH1980mournfullyקְדֹ֣רַנִּ֔יתke.Do.ra.NitH6941beforeמִפְּנֵ֖יmi.pe.NeiH6440Yhwhיְהוָ֥הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאֽוֹת׃tze.va.'otH6635?

15And now we callH833the proudזֵדִ֑יםze.DimH2086happyH833;yea, they that workעֹשֵׂ֣י'o.SeiH6213wickednessרִשְׁעָ֔הrish.'AhH7564are set upנִבְנוּ֙niv.NuH1129; yea, they thattemptבָּחֲנ֛וּba.cha.NuH974Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E.lo.HimH430are even deliveredוַיִּמָּלֵֽטוּ׃vai.yi.ma.Le.tuH4422.

16Then they that fearedיִרְאֵ֥יyir.'EiH3373Yhwhיְהוָ֖הYah.wehH3068spake oftenנִדְבְּר֛וּnid.be.RuH1696oneאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376to anotherרֵעֵ֑הוּre.'E.huH7453:And Yhwhיְהוָה֙Yah.wehH3068hearkenedוַיַּקְשֵׁ֤בvai.yak.ShevH7181,and heardוַיִּשְׁמָ֔עvai.yish.Ma'H8085it,and a bookסֵ֣פֶרSe.ferH5612of remembranceזִכָּר֤וֹןzi.ka.RonH2146was writtenוַ֠יִּכָּתֵבVai.yi.ka.tevH3789beforeלְפָנָיו֙le.fa.NavH6440him for them that fearedלְיִרְאֵ֣יle.yir.'EiH3373Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068,and that thoughtוּלְחֹשְׁבֵ֖יu.le.cho.she.VeiH2803upon his nameשְׁמֽוֹ׃she.MoH8034.

17And they shall be mine, saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,in that dayלַיּ֕וֹםlai.YomH3117when I make upעֹשֶׂ֣ה'o.SehH6213my jewelsסְגֻלָּ֑הse.gu.LahH5459;and I will spareוְחָמַלְתִּ֣יve.cha.mal.TiH2550them, as a manאִ֔ישׁ'IshH376sparethיַחְמֹ֣לyach.MolH2550his own sonבְּנ֖וֹbe.NoH1121that servethהָעֹבֵ֥דha.'o.VedH5647him.

18Then shall ye returnוְשַׁבְתֶּם֙ve.shav.TemH7725,and discernוּרְאִיתֶ֔םu.re.'i.TemH7200between the righteousצַדִּ֖יקtza.DikH6662and the wickedלְרָשָׁ֑עle.ra.Sha'H7563,between him that servethעֹבֵ֣ד'o.VedH5647Godאֱלֹהִ֔ים'E.lo.HimH430and him that servethעֲבָדֽוֹ׃ סa.va.DoH5647him not.

Commentaries on Malachi 3