Malachi 2:5

Malachi 2:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
• New International Version (NIV)“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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name.

Context of Malachi 2:5

3Behold, I am rebuking the seed on account of you, and will spread dung on your faces —the dung of your festivals— and take you away together with it. 4Then you will know that I have sent this command to you, to be My covenant with Levi,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot. “My covenant was with him for life and shalom, and I gave them to him for reverence. So he revered Me, and he was awestruck by My Name. 6Instruction of truth was in his mouth. Injustice was not found on his lips. In shalom and uprightness he walked with Me, and he turned many from iniquity. 7For a kohen’s lips should guard knowledge, and instruction must be sought from his mouth. For he is a messenger of Adonai-Tzva’ot.

Malachi 2:5 word by word

בְּרִיתִ֣י׀ הָיְתָ֣ה אִתּ֗וֹ הַֽחַיִּים֙ וְהַ֨שָּׁל֔וֹם וָאֶתְּנֵֽם־ל֥וֹ מוֹרָ֖א וַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִי וּמִפְּנֵ֥י שְׁמִ֖י נִחַ֥ת הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• My covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• was with him of lifeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• and peaceשָׁלוֹםshâlôm shâlôm · peaceH7965
• and I gaveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• the fearמוֹרָאmôrâ' môrâ' môrâh · fearH4172
• wherewith he fearedיָרֵאyârê' · to fear: revereH3372
• me, and was afraidחָתַתchâthath · to to be dismayedH2865
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
• my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for Malachi 2:5

• Numbers 3:45“Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Bnei-Yisrael, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites will be Mine. I am Adonai.
• Numbers 8:15After you have purified them and presented them as a wave offering, the Levites will come to do their work at the Tent of Meeting.
• Numbers 16:9Isn’t it enough that the God of Israel has set you apart from the community of Israel to bring you near to Him to do the work of the Tabernacle of Adonai and to stand before the community to minister to them?
• Numbers 18:8Adonai then said to Aaron, “See, I have given you charge over all My offerings. All the sacred things from Bnei-Yisrael I have given to you as set aside for you and your sons as a permanent share.
• Numbers 25:12So now say: See, I am making with him a covenant of shalom!
• Deuteronomy 33:8For Levi he said, ‘Let Your Thummim and Urim be with Your pious man. You tested him at Massah, You strived with him at the waters of Meribah.’
• Psalms 106:30But Phinehas stood up and intervened, so the plague was stopped.
• Ezekiel 34:25“I will make a covenant of shalom with them. I will remove the evil beasts from the land, so they may dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
• Ezekiel 37:26I will cut a covenant of shalom with them—it will be an everlasting covenant with them. I will give to them and multiply them. I will set up My Sanctuary among them forever.
• Exodus 32:26Moses stood at the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is on Adonai’s side, let him come to me.” Then all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

Commentaries on Malachi 2:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5My covenant was with him of life and peace - These are the two grand blessings given to men by the New Covenant, which was shadowed by the Old. To man, excluded from the favor of God, and sentenced to death because of sin, God gave ברית berith, a covenant sacrifice, and this secured life - exemption from the death deserved by transgressors; communication of that inward spiritual life given by Christ, and issuing in that eternal life promised to all his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5My covenant was with him life and peace; - literally “the life and the peace;” that, which alone is true “life and peace.” The covenant was not with Levi himself, but with Aaron, his representative, with whom the covenant was made in the desert, as is indeed here expressed; and, in him, with all his race after him, who succeeded him in his office; as, when it is said, that 1 Chronicles 6:49, “Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of burnt-offering,”…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 2:5

• Adultery
• Covenant
• Levites
• Peace

In the dictionaries

• Corrupt
• Profane
• Wherein
• Awe
• Malachi
• Peace
• 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