Malaquías 3:8-18

8 ¿Robará el hombre a Dios? Pues vosotros me estáis robando. Pero decís: "¿En qué te hemos robado?" En los diezmos y en las ofrendas.

9 Con maldición estáis malditos, porque vosotros, la nación entera, me estáis robando.

10 Traed todo el diezmo al alfolí , para que haya alimento en mi casa; y ponedme ahora a prueba en estodice el SEÑOR de los ejércitossi no os abriré las ventanas del cielo, y derramaré para vosotros bendición hasta que sobreabunde.

11 Por vosotros reprenderé al devorador, para que no os destruya los frutos del suelo; ni vuestra vid en el campo será estérildice el SEÑOR de los ejércitos.

12 Y todas las naciones os llamarán bienaventurados, porque seréis una tierra de deliciasdice el SEÑOR de los ejércitos.

13 Vuestras palabras han sido duras contra mídice el SEÑOR. Pero decís: "¿Qué hemos hablado contra ti?"

14 Habéis dicho: "En vano es servir a Dios. ¿Qué provecho hay en que guardemos sus ordenanzas y en que andemos de duelo delante del SEÑOR de los ejércitos?

15 "Por eso ahora llamamos bienaventurados a los soberbios. No sólo prosperan los que hacen el mal, sino que también ponen a prueba a Dios y escapan impunes."

16 Entonces los que temían al SEÑOR se hablaron unos a otros, y el SEÑOR prestó atención y escuchó, y fue escrito delante de El un libro memorial para los que temen al SEÑOR y para los que estiman su nombre.

17 Y ellos serán míosdice el SEÑOR de los ejércitosel día en que yo prepare mi tesoro especial, y los perdonaré como un hombre perdona al hijo que le sirve.

18 Entonces volveréis a distinguir entre el justo y el impío, entre el que sirve a Dios y el que no le sirve.

Malaquías 3:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO MALACHI 3

This chapter begins with a prophecy of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ; and of the coming of Christ, and the effects and consequences of it, with respect both to the righteous and the wicked; and it contains accusations and charges of sin against the Jews, intermixed with exhortations to repentance. John the Baptist is promised to be sent, and is described by his office as a messenger, and by his work, to prepare the way of the Lord; and the Messiah is prophesied of, who is described by his characters; with respect to himself, the Lord and Messenger of the covenant; with respect to the truly godly among the Jews, as the object of their desire and delight; whose coming is spoken of as a certain thing, and which would be sudden; and the place is mentioned he should come into, Mal 3:1 and this his coming is represented as terrible to the wicked, and as trying and purifying to the righteous, expressed by the various similes of a refiner's fire, and fuller's soap; and the end answered by it, their offering a righteous offering to the Lord, Mal 3:2-4 but with respect to the wicked, he declares he should be a swift witness against them, whose characters are particularly given, and this assured from his immutability; the consequence of which to the saints is good, being their security from destruction, Mal 3:5,6 and next a charge is commenced against the wicked Jews, as that in general they had for a long time revolted from the Lord, and were guilty of sins of omission and commission, and are therefore exhorted to return to the Lord, with a promise that he will return to them, and yet they refuse, Mal 3:7 and, in particular, that they were guilty of sacrilege, and so accounted, even the whole nation, in withholding tithes and sacrifices, which they are exhorted to bring in; to which they are encouraged with promises of blessings of prosperity and protection, Mal 3:8-12 and that they had spoken impudent and blasphemous words against the Lord; which, though excepted to, is proved by producing their own words, Mal 3:13-15 and by the contrary behaviour of those that feared the Lord, who were taken notice of by him, and were dear unto him, Mal 3:16,17 wherefore it is suggested, that the time would come when there would be a manifest difference made between the one and the other, Mal 3:18.

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit., a la casa del tesoro
• [b]. Lit., presa