Malachi 2:12

12 Jehovah will cut off from the tents of Jacob the man that doeth this, him that calleth and him that answereth; and him that offereth an oblation unto Jehovah of hosts.

Malachi 2:12 Meaning and Commentary

Malachi 2:12

The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this
That is guilty of such treachery, wickedness, and idolatry: or "to the man that doeth this" F25; all that belong to him, his children and substance: it denotes the utter destruction, not of a single man and his family only, but of the whole Jewish nation and its polity, civil and ecclesiastical, as follows: the master and the scholar out of the tabernacles of Jacob;
the Targum paraphrases it,

``the son, and son's son, out of the cities of Jacob;''
agreeable to which is Kimchi's note,
``it is as if it was said, there shall not be left in his house one alive; that there shall not be in his house one that answers him, that calls by name.''
In the Hebrew text it is, "him that is awake, and him that answers" {z}; which the Talmudists F1 explain, the former of the wise men or masters, and the latter of the disciples of the wise men; to which sense our version agrees: but by "him that waketh or watcheth", according to Cocceius, is meant the civil magistrate, who watches for the good of the commonwealth, and so may design the elders and rulers of the people; and by him that "answereth", the prophet, who returns answers when he is consulted in things belonging to the law of God, and such were the scribes and lawyers. And him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts;
the priests, that offered sacrifice for the people; so that hereby is threatened an entire destruction, both of the civil and ecclesiastical polity of the Jews, that there should be no prince, prophet, and priest among them; all should be removed out of the tents of Jacob, or cities of Israel; see ( Hosea 3:4 ) .
FOOTNOTES:

F25 (vyal) "viro", Drusius, Cocceius, Burkius, De Dieu; "filius et qui fecerit istud", Piscator.
F26 (hnew re) "vigilantem et respondentem", Montanus, Vatablus, Drusius, Grotius; "vigilantem et responsantem", Junius & Tremellius; "vigilem et respondentem", Burkius.
F1 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 82. 1.

Malachi 2:12 In-Context

10 Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal unfaithfully every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
11 Judah hath dealt unfaithfully, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the sanctuary of Jehovah which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange ·god.
12 Jehovah will cut off from the tents of Jacob the man that doeth this, him that calleth and him that answereth; and him that offereth an oblation unto Jehovah of hosts.
13 And further ye do this: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the oblation any more, nor receiveth [it] with satisfaction at your hand.
14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because Jehovah hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. A circumlocution for 'all.'
The Darby Translation is in the public domain.