Malachi 3 Study Notes
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3:13-15 On the harsh words, see Jdg 14-15. Judah’s current difficulties, in light of their perverse understanding of God’s demands and of having a relationship with him, had led them to conclude there was no advantage in serving God (Is 5:20; Mal 2:17). The word for gained refers to dishonest gain (see Is 56:11).
3:16-18 The book of remembrance was the royal archives where the most significant events of a king’s reign were recorded (Ezr 4:15; 5:17). As Mordecai was rewarded on the basis of the royal archives (Est 2:23; 6:1-3), so it will be for all who fear God and treasure his name. Whether such heavenly records exist literally, the many biblical references to them show that God knows and will reward those who belong to him (1Kg 19:18; Ps 56:8; Is 34:16; Dn 7:10; 2Co 5:10; Rv 20:12). God has already determined the day when he will come with compassion to retrieve his own possession (see Ex 19:5; Dt 7:6; 14:1-2; 26:18; Ps 135:4), all who serve him in faith (Ezk 34:11-31; Gl 1:4; Eph 1:14).
Shicheth in passive-reflexive forms means be corrupt (Gn 6:11), ruined, or flawed (Jr 18:4). The participle involves corrupt acts (Ezk 20:44). Intensive and causative verbs share the meanings destroy (Gn 6:13), ruin, and act corruptly (Ex 32:7). Intensive verbs also connote ravage (Jos 22:33), bring loss, lay waste to (Jdg 6:5), corrupt (Ezk 28:17), and corrupt oneself (Hs 9:9). One violates covenants (Mal 2:8), stifles compassion (Am 1:11), and wastefully releases semen (Gn 38:9). Causative verbs also suggest annihilate (Dt 9:26), slaughter, devastate (Jr 51:25), mar, and batter (2Sm 20:15). People are depraved or become corrupt in actions (Zph 3:7). Participles denote destroyer, destructive, corrupt, depraved, ravaging, raiding parties (1Sm 13:17), and trap (Jr 5:26). Passive participles signify polluted (Pr 25:26) and a defective animal (Mal 1:14). Mashchiyt (10x, Ezk 5:16) means destruction, and mashchet conveys destructive (Ezk 9:1). Mashchat suggests deformity (Lv 22:25), and mishchat, disfigurement (Is 52:14).