Mǎlājīshū 2

1 Zhòng jìsī a , zhè jièmìng shì chuán gĕi nǐmen de .

2 Wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá shuō , nǐmen ruò bù tīng cóng , yĕ bú fàng zaì xīn shang , jiāng róngyào guīyǔ wǒde míng , wǒ jiù shǐ zhòuzǔ líndào nǐmen , shǐ nǐmen de fú fēn biàn wéi zhòuzǔ . yīn nǐmen bú bǎ jièmìng fàng zaì xīn shang , wǒ yǐjing zhòuzǔ nǐmen le .

3 Wǒ bì chìzé nǐmen de zhǒngzǐ , yòu bǎ nǐmen xī shēng de fèn , mǒ nǐmen de liǎn shang . nǐmen yào yǔ fèn yītóng chúdiào .

4 Nǐmen jiù zhīdào wǒ chuán zhè jièmìng gĕi nǐmen , shǐ wǒ yǔ Lìwèi ( huò zuò Lìwèi rén ) suǒ lì de yuē , kĕyǐ cháng cún . zhè shì wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá shuō de .

5 Wǒ zēng yǔ tā lì shēngmìng hépíng ān de yuē . wǒ jiāng zhè liǎngyàng cìgĕi tā , shǐ tā cún jìngwèi de xīn , tā jiù jìngwèi wǒ , jùpà wǒde míng .

6 Zhēn shí de lǜfǎ zaì tā kǒu zhōng , tā zuǐlǐ méiyǒu bú yì de huà . tā yǐ píngān hé zhèngzhí yǔ wǒ tóngxíng , shǐ duō rén huí tóu líkāi zuìniè .

7 Jìsī de zuǐlǐ dāng cún zhīshi , rén yĕ dāng yóu tā kǒu zhōng xúnqiú lǜfǎ , yīnwei tā shì wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá de shǐzhĕ .

8 Nǐmen què piānlí zhēng dào , shǐ xǔduō rén zaì lǜfǎ shang diēdǎo . nǐmen feìqì wǒ yǔ Lìwèi suǒ lì de yuē . zhè shì wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá shuō de .

9 Suǒyǐ wǒ shǐ nǐmen beì zhòngrén miǎoshì , kàn wéi xià jiàn , yīn nǐmen bú shǒu wǒde dào , jìng zaì lǜfǎ shang zhān xùn qíngmian .

10 Wǒmen qǐbù dōu shì yī wèi fù ma . qǐbù shì yī wèi shén suǒ zào de ma . wǒmen gèrén zĕnme yǐ guǐzhà dāi dìxiōng , beìqì le shén yǔ wǒmen lièzǔ suǒ lì de yuē ne .

11 Yóudà rén xíngshì guǐzhà , bìngqiĕ zaì Yǐsèliè hé Yēlùsǎlĕng zhōng , xíng yī jiàn kĕ zēng de shì . yīnwei Yóudà rén xièdú Yēhéhuá suǒ xǐaì de shèngjié ( huò zuò shèng dì ) , qǔ shìfèng waì bāng shén de nǚzi wéi qī .

12 Fán xíng zhè shì de , wúlùn hé rén ( hé rén yuánwén zuò jiàoxǐng de dá yīng de ) , jiù shì xiàn gōngwù gĕi wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá , Yēhéhuá yĕ bì cóng Yǎgè de zhàngpéng zhōng jiǎnchú tā .

13 Nǐmen yòu xíng le yī jiàn zhèyàng de shì , shǐ qián qī tànxī kūqì de yǎnleì , zhēgaì Yēhéhuá de tán , yǐzhì Yēhéhuá bú zaì kàn gù nà gōngwù , yĕ bú lèyì cóng nǐmen shǒu zhōng shōu nà .

14 Nǐmen hái shuō , zhè shì wèishénme ne . yīn Yēhéhuá zaì nǐ hé nǐ yòunián suǒ qǔ de qī zhōngjiān zuò jiànzhèng . tā suī shì nǐde peìǒu , yòu shì nǐ méng yuē de qī , nǐ què yǐ guǐzhà dāi tā .

15 Suīrán shén yǒu líng de yú lì néng zào duō rén , tā bú shì dān zào yī rén ma . wèihé zhǐ zào yī rén ne . nǎi shì tā yuàn rén dé qiánchéng de hòuyì . suǒyǐ dāng jǐn shǒu nǐmen de xīn , shuí yĕ bùkĕ yǐ guǐzhà dāi yòunián suǒ qǔ de qī .

16 Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de shén shuō , xiū qī de shì , hé yǐ qiángbào dāi qī de rén , dōu shì wǒ suǒ hèn è de . suǒyǐ dāng jǐn shǒu nǐmen de xīn , bùkĕ xíng guǐzhà . zhè shì wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá shuō de .

17 Nǐmen yòng yányǔ fán suǒ Yēhéhuá , nǐmen hái shuō , wǒmen zaì hé shì shang fán suǒ tā ne . yīnwei nǐmen shuō , fán xíng è de , Yēhéhuá yǎn kàn wéi shàn , bìngqiĕ tā xǐyuè tāmen . huò shuō , gōngyì de shén zaì nǎli ne .

Mǎlājīshū 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The priests reproved for neglecting their covenant. (1-9) The people reproved for their evil practices. (10-17)

Verses 1-9 What is here said of the covenant of priesthood, is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests. It is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of all happiness, both in this world and in that to come. It is an honour to God's servants to be employed as his messengers. The priest's lips should not keep knowledge from his people, but keep it for them. The people are all concerned to know the will of the Lord. We must not only consult the written word, but desire instruction and advice from God's messengers, in the affairs of our souls. Ministers must exert themselves to the utmost for the conversion of sinners; and even among those called Israelites, there are many to be turned from iniquity. Those ministers, and those only, are likely to turn men from sin, who preach sound doctrine, and live holy lives according to the Scripture. Many departed from this way; thus they misled the people. Such as walk with God in peace and righteousness, and turn others from sin, honour God; he will honour them, while those who despise him shall be lightly esteemed.

Verses 10-17 Corrupt practices are the fruit of corrupt principles; and he who is false to his God, will not be true to his fellow mortals. In contempt of the marriage covenant, which God instituted, the Jews put away the wives they had of their own nation, probably to make room for strange wives. They made their lives bitter to them; yet, in the sight of others, they pretend to be tender of them. Consider she is thy wife; thy own; the nearest relation thou hast in the world. The wife is to be looked on, not as a servant, but as a companion to the husband. There is an oath of God between them, which is not to be trifled with. Man and wife should continue to their lives' end, in holy love and peace. Did not God make one, one Eve for one Adam? Yet God could have made another Eve. Wherefore did he make but one woman for one man? It was that the children might be made a seed to serve him. Husbands and wives must live in the fear of God, that their seed may be a godly seed. The God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away. Those who would be kept from sin, must take heed to their spirits, for there all sin begins. Men will find that their wrong conduct in their families springs from selfishness, which disregards the welfare and happiness of others, when opposed to their own passions and fancies. It is wearisome to God to hear people justify themselves in wicked practices. Those who think God can be a friend to sin, affront him, and deceive themselves. The scoffers said, Where is the God of judgement? but the day of the Lord will come.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO MALACHI 2

This chapter contains a reproof both of priests and people for their sins. It begins with the priests, Mal 2:1 and threatens, in case they attend not to glorify the name of the Lord, they and their blessings should be cursed, their seed corrupted, dung spread upon them, and they took away with it, Mal 2:2,3 and the end of this commandment being sent them, of giving glory to the name of God, was that the covenant might appear to be with Levi, or him that was typified by him, Mal 2:4 of which covenant some account is given, with the reason why the blessings of it were given to him, with whom it was, Mal 2:5 who is described by the true doctrine he preached; by the purity of his lips; by the peaceableness and righteousness of his walk and conversation; and by his usefulness and success in turning many from sin, Mal 2:6 and it being part of the priest's office to preserve true knowledge, and communicate it, it is the duty of the people to seek to him for it; since he is the messenger of the Lord, Mal 2:7 but as for the priests of those times the prophet respects, they were apostates from the way of the Lord; made others to stumble at the law, and corrupted the covenant; and therefore became contemptible, base, and mean, in the sight of the people, Mal 2:8,9 who are next reproved for their marrying with those of other nations, idolatrous persons; and using polygamy and divorces, which were a profanation of the covenant of their fathers; a piece of perfidy and treachery among themselves; an abomination to the Lord; a profanation of his holiness; and led to idolatry, Mal 2:10,11 wherefore they are threatened to be cut off from the tabernacles of Jacob, and their sacrifices to be rejected; insomuch that the altar is represented as covered with weeping and tears, because disregarded, Mal 2:12,13. The reason of which was, because marrying more wives than one, and these strange women, was dealing treacherously with their lawful wives; was contrary to the first creation of man, and the end of it; and therefore such practices ought to be avoided; and the rather, since putting away was hateful to the Lord, Mal 2:14-16 and the chapter is concluded with a charge against them, that they wearied the Lord with their wicked words; affirming that the Lord took delight in the men that did evil; and that there were no judgment, truth, nor righteousness, in him, Mal 2:17.