Chapter 2

1 He sharply reproveth the priests for neglecting their covenant, 11 and the people for idolatry, 14 for adultery, 17 and for infidelity.

1. Priests. Those who should have been true spiritual leaders and teachers (see on 2 Chron. 15:3) are here denounced by the prophet (Mal. 2:1–3).

2. Curse your blessings. Possibly a reference to the blessings the priests were accustomed to pronounce upon the people (see Lev. 9:22, 23; Num. 6:23–26), but more likely a reference to the blessings God Himself had bestowed upon them (see pp. 27, 28), such as promised by the prophet Haggai a century earlier (Haggai 2:15–19).

Already. The “curse” must even then have been apparent to these priests, and to the people as well.

3. Corrupt. Heb. gaФar, “to rebuke.”

Spread dung. A supreme evidence of contempt.

Your solemn feasts. God does not claim as His these feasts observed in His honor, for in their observance of these feasts the priests expressed nought but their own self-will and pleasure.

4. Ye shall know. The people will assuredly find by experience that these divine threats are not in vain.

My covenant. The covenant of “an everlasting priesthood” (Num. 25:13) was given to Phinehas, a grandson of Aaron, for his part in eliminating the worship of Baal-peor from the camp of Israel (see Num. 25:3–13).

With Levi. The tribe of Levi was chosen by God for His service because of the faithfulness of its members in a time of crisis (see on Ex. 32:29).

Lord of hosts. See on Jer. 7:3.

5. My covenant. See on v. 4.

Life and peace. The “covenant of peace” given to Phinehas (Num. 25:12) is explained as “the covenant of an everlasting priesthood” (Num. 25:13). “Life and peace” comprised God’s part of this agreement. These blessings would be bestowed on all the faithful priests after Phinehas.

For the fear. God gave His blessings to Phinehas because of “the fear wherewith he feared me.” So the priests’ part of the covenant was to give to God reverence and obedience. Now, the Lord through His prophet is endeavoring to renew His glorious covenant with the priests of Malachi’s day, those who, because of their wickedness, had become “contemptible and base before all the people” (v. 9).

6. Law. Heb. torah, the whole body of divine teaching or instruction (see on Deut. 31:9; Prov. 3:1). This verse shows that God intended that the priests should be spiritual leaders by both precept and example.

7. Keep knowledge. That is, they should preserve or safeguard knowledge. They were the religious leaders of the nation, yet their example provided the people with a pattern of disobedience.

Seek the law. The people had a right to expect proper instruction from the priests in reference to spiritual matters (see on 2 Chron. 15:3).

Messenger. The priest who rightly carried on his appointed work was as truly a “messenger” of God as was the prophet (see on Haggai 1:13). Some have seen significance in the fact that “Malachi” means “messenger of Yahweh” (see p. 1121).

8. To stumble. By both precept and example (see on v. 6) these priests had led many astray. Thus they had “corrupted” the covenant of Levi.

Covenant of Levi. See on v. 4.

9. Contemptible. It was only natural that the people should despise the priests for their attitude, which brought dishonor and disgrace to divine worship (see 1 Sam. 2:30). Hypocrisy is one of the most contemptible of sins.

10. One father. Malachi himself is speaking. In view of the context it is probable that he is referring to God Himself as their Father (see on ch. 1:6) rather than to Abraham or some other human being.

One God created us. Of all peoples of ancient times the Jews alone honored God pre-eminently and distinctively as the Creator, as indicated in the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth commandment of the Decalogue (see Ex. 20:8–11). Thus it behooved them above all others to treat their fellow men as brothers. We may rightly expect today that those who honor God as the Creator should consider all men as brothers.

11. Judah. The whole nation was guilty of departure from God.

Holiness. Probably a reference to the Temple. As the place of God’s presence (see Ex. 25:8), it was “profaned” by the people’s sinful conduct.

Married the daughter. The LXX translates the last clause, “and has gone after other gods.”

12. Master. Literally, “the one arousing.”

Scholar. Literally, “the one answering.” “Master” probably refers to the watchman, or sentinel, and “scholar” to the people or soldiers aroused to action by the watchman. In other words, though the transgressors of Judah sense the oncoming danger, their lack of repentance makes it certain that they will all be “cut off.”

Tabernacles. Or, “dwellings.”

Offering. Heb. minchah (see on ch. 1:10).

13. Done again. The sin of the priests is aggravated by their hypocritical sorrow over God’s refusal to accept their offerings.

Regardeth not the offering. While they persisted in their evil ways God could not accept the sacrifices they brought before Him. To do so would be to confirm them in their evil ways.

14. Wherefore? This question is an evidence of the self-justifying skepticism of the people (see on ch. 1:2), which refuses to admit guilt. See p. 1122.

Wife of thy youth. Perhaps an indication that many of these wicked priests had put away their wives and taken other wives, possibly heathen women (see Ezra 9:1, 2; Neh. 13:23–28). It is possible also that spiritual adultery is here alluded to, as in v. 11.

Dealt treacherously. That is, proved faithless. The LXX reads “forsaken.”

15. Make one. The Hebrew of the first clause is somewhat obscure. The RSV reads, “Has not the one God made and sustained for us the spirit of life?” The admonition of the last part of the verse is clear. This, in turn, may give the clue to the meaning of the first part. The prophet is calling for a reformation in the treacherous dealings of the priests with the wives of their youth (see on v. 14). Hence the question “Did not he make one?” may be a reference to God’s plan that man and wife be “one flesh” (see on Gen. 2:24). The Lord strongly condemns the men of Malachi’s day, who by divorcing their lawful wives were violating the fundamental principle of unity in the marriage relationship.

16. He hateth. God adds His own personal attitude toward divorce. Therefore, the man who divorces his lawful wife covers his “garment with violence (RSV)”; that is, he invests himself with iniquity and its consequences, from which he cannot escape. It is evident from our Lord’s statement that unchastity is the only ground for divorce (see on Matt. 5:32).

17. Wearied. Divine patience has reached an end. God has long borne with the complaining and discontent of His people. The prosperity and glory they hoped would soon be theirs (see p. 27) did not arrive, and so they questioned the justice and holiness of God, and even the certainty of future judgment.

Wherein? See on ch. 1:2.

Evil is good. Sometimes evildoers try to make it appear that they are in reality good, and that they are prospered and blessed by God for their goodness.

Where? See on ch. 1:2; see p. 1122.

The God of judgment. Or, “the God of justice” (RSV). The people did not deny the existence of God, but doubted that He was concerned with human conduct. For practical purposes they had become deists. The heathen had a similar concept of their gods.

Ellen G. White comments

5, 6 Ed 148

5, 9 PK 706

10   PK 369

17   GC 557; PK 715; Te 232