Malachi 3:16

Malachi 3:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.
• New International Version (NIV)Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.

Context of Malachi 3:16

14You say: “Serving God is worthless.” Also: “What good is it that we kept His service or that we walked as mourners before Adonai-Tzva’ot? 15So now we are calling the proud blessed. Those who practice iniquity are built up. Indeed, they have tested God, and escaped!” Then those who revere Adonai spoke with each other, and Adonai took notice and heard, and a scroll of remembrance was written before Him, for those who revere Adonai, even those who esteem His Name. 17“So they shall be Mine,”—says Adonai-Tzva’ot—“ in the day I make My own special possession. So I will spare them, as one spares his son serving him. 18Then you will return and distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.”

Malachi 3:16 word by word

אָ֧ז נִדְבְּר֛וּ יִרְאֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיַּקְשֵׁ֤ב יְהוָה֙ וַיִּשְׁמָ֔ע וַ֠יִּכָּתֵב סֵ֣פֶר זִכָּר֤וֹן לְפָנָיו֙ לְיִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וּלְחֹשְׁבֵ֖י שְׁמֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then they that fearedיָרֵאyârê' · afraidH3373
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• spake oftenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
• to anotherרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
• hearkenedקָשַׁבqâshab · to listenH7181
• and heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• and a bookסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: bookH5612
• of remembranceזִכָּרוֹןzikrôn · memorialH2146
• was writtenכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• and that thoughtחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: countH2803
• upon his nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034

Cross-references for Malachi 3:16

• Malachi 3:5“Then I will draw near to you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers those who extort a worker’s wage, or oppress the widow or an orphan, those who mislead a stranger. They do not fear Me,” says Adonai-Tzva’ot.
• Genesis 22:12Then He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the young man—do nothing to him at all. For now I know that you are one who fears God—you did not withhold your son, your only son, from Me.”
• 1 Kings 18:3Ahab summoned Obadiah who was the steward of the palace. Now Obadiah feared Adonai greatly—
• Job 28:28And He said to mankind, ‘The fear of the Lord —that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.”’
• Psalms 33:18Behold, the eyes of Adonai are on those who fear Him, waiting for His love,
• Psalms 111:10The fear of Adonai is the beginning of wisdom. All who follow His precepts have good understanding. His praise endures forever!
• Psalms 112:1Halleluyah! Happy is the man who fears Adonai, who delights greatly in His mitzvot.
• Psalms 147:11Adonai delights in those who revere Him, in those who trust in His lovingkindness.
• Isaiah 50:10Who among you fears Adonai? Who hears the voice of His servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the Name of Adonai and lean on his God.
• Acts 9:31So Messiah’s community throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had shalom and was built up. Walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Ruach ha-Kodesh, it kept multiplying.
• Acts 10:2He was a devout man, revering God with all his household. He gave tzadakah generously to the people and prayed to God continually.
• Revelation 15:4Who shall not fear and glorify Your name, O Lord? For You alone are Holy. All the nations shall come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed!”
• Deuteronomy 6:6These words, which I am commanding you today, are to be on your heart.
• 1 Samuel 23:16Then Saul’s son Jonathan arose and went to David at Choresh and strengthened him in God.
• Esther 4:5So Esther summoned Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs whom he had appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to find the cause and reason for this.

Commentaries on Malachi 3:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16They that feared the Lord - There were a few godly in the land, who, hearing the language and seeing the profligacy of the rebels above, concluded that some signal mark of God's vengeance must fall upon them; they, therefore, as the corruption increased, cleaved the closer to their Maker. There are three characteristics given of this people, viz.: - They feared the Lord. They had that reverence for Jehovah that caused them to depart from evil, and to keep…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Then they that feared the Lord spake often among themselves - The proud-speaking of the ungodly called out the piety of the God-fearing. “The more the ungodly spake against God, the more these spake among themselves for God.” Both went on until the Great Day of severance. True, as those said, the distinction between righteous and wicked was not made yet, but it was stored up out of sight. They “spake among themselves,” strengthening each other against the…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-18Verses 13-18 Among the Jews at this time, some plainly discovered themselves to be children of the wicked one. The yoke of Christ is easy. But those who work wickedness, tempt God by presumptuous sins. Judge of things as they will appear when the doom of these proud sinners comes to be executed. Those that feared the Lord, spake kindly, for preserving and promoting mutual love, when sin thus abounded. They spake one to another, in the language of those…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16A scroll of remembrance was a written record of names and events connected to those people. This practice was common in the Persian world. The text does not say how many people were written in the scroll. those who feared the LORD: These people were loyal to the Lord as God, followed God's commands, and acted righteously in conduct and worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1813-18. He notices the complaint of the Jews that it is of no profit to serve Jehovah, for that the ungodly proud are happy; and declares He will soon bring the day when it shall be known that He puts an everlasting distinction between the godly and the ungodly. words ... stout--Hebrew, "hard"; so "the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him" (Jude 15) [Henderson]. have we spoken--The Hebrew expresses at once their assiduity and habit…Read the comment

Topics related to Malachi 3:16

• Book
• Character
• Communion
• Fear of God
• Fellowship
• God Continued...
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Book of Remembrance
• Change
• Fellowship
• Mournfully
• Prove
• Rob
• Joel (2)
• Malachi
• Omniscience
• Vulgate

Commentaries on Malachi 3

• 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