Priests Condemned for Violating the Covenant
Malachi 2:1-9
Mal.2.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועתה: CONJ
- אליכם: PREP+PRON,2,pl
- המצוה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
- הכהנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
Parallels
- Malachi 2:4 (structural): Immediate internal parallel in the same prophetic address to the priesthood; verse 2:4 explains the covenantal purpose behind God’s command to the priests addressed in 2:1–3.
- Leviticus 10:3 (thematic): After Nadab and Abihu’s death, Aaron is told that God must be treated as holy by those who draw near—an early priestly admonition like Malachi’s rebuke and command directed to the priests.
- Ezekiel 44:6-9 (thematic): Ezekiel contains a direct divine reprimand to the priests for profaning holiness and failing in their duties, paralleling Malachi’s prophetic indictment and command to the priesthood.
- Jeremiah 23:1-2 (thematic): Jeremiah pronounces woe on the shepherds (leaders/priests) who scatter the flock and summons them to account—similar prophetic censure of religious leaders found in Malachi 2:1–3.
- 1 Samuel 2:12,22-25 (thematic): The account of Eli’s corrupt priestly household, with sons who abused the sacrificial system and Eli rebuked, parallels Malachi’s concern with priestly misconduct and the need for corrective divine instruction.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now then, O priests, this command is for you.
- And now this charge is for you, O priests.
Mal.2.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אם: CONJ
- לא: PART_NEG
- תשמעו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- ואם: CONJ
- לא: PART_NEG
- תשימו: VERB,qal,imp,2,pl
- על: PREP
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לתת: VERB,qal,inf
- כבוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לשמי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+1,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ושלחתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,c,sg
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- המארה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- וארותי: CONJ+VERB,qal,perf,1,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ברכותיכם: NOUN,f,pl,abs,poss:2m
- וגם: CONJ
- ארותיה: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss:3s
- כי: CONJ
- אינכם: VERB,qal,pres,2,m,pl
- שמים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- על: PREP
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Malachi 1:6 (verbal): Same prophet charges the priests for failing to honor God’s name—both verses condemn lack of reverence and connect it to divine displeasure.
- Leviticus 26:14-17 (structural): Priestly/legal formulation of blessings and curses: disobedience brings Yahweh’s curses and hostile acts against the people, paralleling Malachi’s threat to ‘send a curse’.
- Deuteronomy 28:15,20-22 (thematic): Part of the covenant curse formula: failure to obey and honor God results in reversal of blessings and infliction of disease/evil—echoed in Malachi’s promise to curse their blessings.
- Haggai 2:17 (thematic): God speaks of having struck the harvest, vine, olive tree and labors of the people as judgment—similar causal idea that God will afflict their blessings because they do not honor him.
- Amos 4:6-11 (thematic): A series of divine judgments (famine, drought, blight, pestilence) sent because the people did not return to God—parallels Malachi’s motif of sending punishment when people fail to give God proper regard.
Alternative generated candidates
- If you will not listen and will not set your heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and will curse your blessings—I have indeed cursed them—because you do not set your heart.
- If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and will curse your blessings—yes, I have already cursed them—because you do not take it to heart.
Mal.2.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- הנני: PRT+PRON,1,sg
- גער: VERB,qal,ptc,m,sg
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- הזרע: NOUN,m,sg,def
- וזריתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,sg
- פרש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- על: PREP
- פניכם: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,pl
- פרש: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- חגיכם: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,2,pl
- ונשא: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- אליו: PREP+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Isaiah 1:11-15 (thematic): God rejects the people's sacrifices and festivals as worthless and offensive; like Malachi, Isaiah condemns outward cultic acts when priests/people are corrupt and declares that offerings are unacceptable.
- Amos 5:21-23 (thematic): God expresses hatred for the people's feasts and songs and refuses their offerings—parallel to Malachi's image of defiled offerings and divine repudiation of priestly worship.
- Ezekiel 22:26 (thematic): Accuses priests of violating the law and profaning holy things; God faults sacerdotal corruption and announces judgment—echoing Malachi's rebuke and punishment of the priestly line.
- 1 Samuel 2:12-17 (structural): Describes Eli's sons as corrupt priests who misuse sacrifices and bring divine judgment on the priesthood, a narrative analogue to Malachi's condemnation and removal of priestly privilege.
- Psalm 50:16-23 (thematic): God denounces hypocritical worship and empty sacrifices, warning that ritual offerings without obedience are unacceptable—closely related to Malachi's theme of profaned offerings and divine punishment.
Alternative generated candidates
- Behold, I will rebuke your offspring and will spread offal upon your faces—the offal of your festival offerings—and I will carry you away with it.
- Behold, I will rebuke your offspring; I will spread refuse upon your faces—the refuse of your offerings—and one shall carry you away with it.
Mal.2.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וידעתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- כי: CONJ
- שלחתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,?,sg
- אליכם: PREP+PRON,2,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- המצוה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הזאת: DEM,f,sg,def
- להיות: VERB,qal,inf,NA,NA,NA
- בריתי: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss1,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- לוי: PROPN,m,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Numbers 25:12-13 (allusion): God establishes 'my covenant of peace' with Phinehas (a Levitical priest), granting an enduring priestly covenant — directly echoes Malachi's reference to a covenant made with Levi.
- Deuteronomy 33:8-11 (thematic): Moses' blessing of Levi assigns them priestly functions ('they shall teach Jacob your ordinances') and prays for their acceptance — thematically parallels the divinely ordained covenantal role of Levi invoked in Malachi.
- Numbers 18:19-24 (thematic): God's ordinance granting the Levites the tithes and sacred portions as their inheritance and charging them with service reflects the covenantal provision and charge that Malachi claims was given to Levi.
- Deuteronomy 10:8 (structural): The LORD 'set apart' the tribe of Levi to minister before the LORD and to bless in his name — a structural precedent for describing God's command as a covenant establishing Levi's distinct priestly role.
- Psalm 106:30-31 (thematic): The psalm recounts Phinehas' zeal and God's crediting of righteousness (halting the plague), linking to the narrative foundation for a priestly covenant with Levi that Malachi appeals to.
Alternative generated candidates
- And you shall know that I have sent this command to you: I make Levi my covenant, says the LORD of hosts.
- And you shall know that I have sent this charge to you to be my covenant with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
Mal.2.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בריתי: NOUN,f,sg,abs,poss1,sg
- היתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- החיים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- והשלום: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,def
- ואתנם: CONJ+ADV
- לו: PRON,3,m,sg
- מורא: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וייראני: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- ומפני: CONJ+PREP
- שמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- נחת: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Numbers 25:11-13 (verbal): God 'gives a covenant of peace' to Phinehas and his descendants and grants an everlasting priesthood — language and promise closely parallel Mal 2:5's 'my covenant... life and peace' and the priestly covenant motif.
- Psalm 25:14 (verbal): 'The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him: and he will shew them his covenant' links the themes of fearing God and God revealing/entrusting his covenant, echoing Mal 2:5's statement that life and peace were given so that the recipient might 'fear' God.
- Psalm 106:30-31 (allusion): Phinehas's act is recounted and 'it was counted to him for righteousness unto all generations for ever' — this passage is the narrative background for the covenant-of-peace/priesthood promise that Malachi invokes concerning the priestly line.
- Deuteronomy 33:8-11 (thematic): Moses' blessing on Levi emphasizes the tribe's priestly role, instruction of Israel and preservation of the covenant; thematically this undergirds Malachi's appeal to an earlier priestly covenant that brought life, peace and reverent fear of God's name.
Alternative generated candidates
- My covenant with him was life and peace; I gave them to him—reverence for me—and he revered me; he stood in awe of my name.
- My covenant with him was life and peace; I gave them to him—reverence and the fear of me—and he stood in awe of my name.
Mal.2.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- תורת: NOUN,f,sg,cons
- אמת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- היתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- בפיהו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,3,m
- ועולה: CONJ+VERB,qal,part,3,m,sg
- לא: PART_NEG
- נמצא: VERB,nip,perf,3,m,sg
- בשפתיו: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs,3,m
- בשלום: PREP
- ובמישור: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הלך: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אתי: PRON,1,sg
- ורבים: CONJ+ADJ,pl,m
- השיב: VERB,hiphil,perf,3,m,sg
- מעון: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 15:1-3 (verbal): Speaks of one who 'walks blamelessly' and whose 'tongue utters no slander'—close verbal and ethical parallel to 'law of truth in his mouth' and 'no iniquity on his lips.'
- Psalm 101:2-3 (verbal): The psalmist commits to 'walk with a blameless heart' and to keep 'no wickedness in my mouth,' echoing Malachi's language of walking in integrity and clean speech.
- Ezekiel 44:23-24 (thematic): Describes priestly duty to teach the people 'the difference between the holy and the common' and to give instruction—parallels Malachi's emphasis on a priestly mouth of truth and guidance in righteousness.
- Numbers 25:11-13 (allusion): The grant of covenantal favor to Phinehas for zealous fidelity provides a backdrop for Malachi's reference to the Levitical/priestly covenant and its expectation of faithful conduct.
- Proverbs 12:22 (thematic): Declares that 'lying lips are an abomination' while the faithful are pleasing to the Lord, resonating with Malachi's stress on truthful speech and moral uprightness among priests.
Alternative generated candidates
- The law of truth was on his lips; no deceit was found on his mouth. In peace and uprightness he walked with me, and he turned many from sin.
- The law of truth was on his lips; no falsehood was found on his mouth. In peace and uprightness he walked with me, and he turned many from iniquity.
Mal.2.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- שפתי: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- כהן: NOUN,m,sg,const
- ישמרו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- דעת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ותורה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- יבקשו: VERB,qal,imf,3,m,pl
- מפיהו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,pronominal-3,m,sg
- כי: CONJ
- מלאך: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Leviticus 10:11 (verbal): Directly parallels the priestly charge to teach Israel statutes and to distinguish holy from common—echoes 'the lips of the priest should preserve knowledge'.
- Deuteronomy 33:10 (verbal): The blessing on Levi: 'They shall teach Jacob your judgments, and Israel your law'—similar language about priests/Levites as teachers of the law.
- Ezekiel 44:23-24 (thematic): Ezekiel assigns priests the role of instructing the people in the difference between holy and profane and in the laws—closely parallels Malachi’s emphasis on priestly instruction.
- Nehemiah 8:7-8 (thematic): The Levites explain and give the meaning of the law to the people, illustrating the practical function of priestly/Levitical instruction pictured in Malachi 2:7.
- Malachi 3:1 (allusion): Uses the language of 'messenger' (malakh) sent by Yahweh; Malachi 2:7 calls the priest 'the messenger of the LORD of hosts,' linking priestly function with divine messenger imagery.
Alternative generated candidates
- 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.
- For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Mal.2.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואתם: CONJ+PRON,2,pl
- סרתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- מן: PREP
- הדרך: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הכשלתם: VERB,hiphil,perf,2,m,pl
- רבים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- בתורה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- שחתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- ברית: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הלוי: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Malachi 2:4-7 (structural): Immediate context: the prophet explicates 'the covenant of Levi' and the priestly duties—background for the charge that priests have turned from the way and caused many to stumble.
- Numbers 25:11-13 (verbal): God’s promise of a ‘covenant of priesthood’ (Phinehas/Levi) provides the priestly covenantal background that Malachi accuses the priests of corrupting.
- Ezekiel 22:26 (thematic): Accuses priests of violating God's law, profaning holy things and misleading the people—parallels Malachi's charge that priests cause many to stumble at the law.
- Jeremiah 23:1-2 (thematic): God indicts unfaithful shepherds (leaders) who scatter and destroy the flock—similar motif of leadership failure harming the people.
- Romans 2:17-24 (thematic): Paul condemns those who teach the law yet dishonor God and cause others to be blasphemed—New Testament analogue to Malachi's charge that religious leaders stumble others at the law.
Alternative generated candidates
- But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble in the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
- But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble in the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
Mal.2.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וגם: CONJ
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- נתתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- אתכם: PRT+PRON,2,m,pl
- נבזים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- ושפלים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
- לכל: PREP
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- כפי: PREP
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אינכם: VERB,qal,pres,2,m,pl
- שמרים: VERB,qal,ptc,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- דרכי: NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,1,_,sg
- ונשאים: VERB,qal,ptc,m,pl
- פנים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בתורה: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
Parallels
- Leviticus 19:15 (verbal): Commands against showing partiality in judgment—directly parallels Malachi’s charge that leaders ‘show partiality in the Torah.’
- Deuteronomy 1:17 (allusion): Judicial injunction not to be partial in disputes—echoes Malachi’s rebuke of leaders who show favoritism and fail to uphold God’s ways.
- Ezekiel 22:26 (thematic): Condemns priests for profaning the law and failing to distinguish holy from common—parallels Malachi’s accusation that priests have not kept God’s ways and are dishonored.
- Malachi 2:8 (structural): Immediate context: earlier verse charges priests with turning from the way and causing many to stumble—closely linked rebuke explaining why they are despised.
- James 2:1-4 (thematic): New Testament denunciation of showing favoritism in assembly—reflects the same ethical-religious condemnation of partiality found in Malachi.
Alternative generated candidates
- And I have made you contemptible and low before all the people, because you do not keep my ways, and you show partiality in the law.
- And I have made you a contempt and a reproach among all the people, because you do not keep my ways and show partiality in the law.
Now this command is for you, O priests.
If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; yes, I have cursed them, because you do not take it to heart.
Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and I will spread filth upon your faces—the filth of your festival offerings—and will take you away with it. And you shall know that I have sent this command to you, to be my covenant with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
My covenant with him was life and peace; I gave them to him. He was filled with reverence and feared me; he stood in awe of my name.
The law of truth was on his lips; injustice was not found on his mouth. In peace and uprightness he walked with me, and by him many were turned from iniquity.
For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble in the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts.
Therefore I have made you contemptible and despised before all the people, because you do not keep my ways and you show partiality in the law.