Malachi 3:13

13 "Your words have been harsh against me," says Yahweh. "But you say, 'How have we spoken together against you?'

Malachi 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

Malachi 3:13

Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord,
&c.] Hard and strong; they bore very hardly upon him, were exceeding impudent and insolent; murmuring at his providence; arraigning his justice and goodness; and despising his word, worship, and ordinances. Aben Ezra says, this is a prophecy concerning the time to come, that is, the times of the Messiah; and so it describes the Jews in his times.

Yet ye say, what have we spoken [so much] against thee?
or "what have we spoken against thee?" as if they were not guilty in any respect, and as if nothing could be proved against them; and as though the Lord did not know what they had said in their hearts, seeing they had not spoken it with their mouths: though the supplement of our translators, "so much", is confirmed by the Targum, which is,

``and if ye say, how (or in what) have we multiplied speech before thee?''

and so Kimchi observes, that the form in which the Hebrew word is denotes much and frequent speaking: and Abarbinel agrees with him, though he rather thinks it has this sense, "what are we spoken of to thee?" what calumny is this? what accusation do they bring against us to thee? what is it that is reported we say against thee? thus wiping their mouths, as if they were innocent and harmless.

Malachi 3:13 In-Context

11 I will rebuke the devourer for you; it will not destroy the fruit of your soil; your vine in the field will not be unfruitful," says Yahweh of hosts.

12 "And all the nations will call you blessed, because you will be {a land in which one takes joy}," says Yahweh of hosts.

13 "Your words have been harsh against me," says Yahweh. "But you say, 'How have we spoken together against you?'

14 You have said, '[It is] useless to serve God! What [is the] gain if we keep his requirements, and if we walk as mourners {before} Yahweh of hosts?

15 And now we [are] calling [the] arrogant blessed! Not only do those who do wickedness prosper; they also test God and they escape!'"

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew "strong"