Malachi 3:1-10

1 Hineni, I will send malachi, and he shall prepare the Derech before me: and HaAdon (the L-rd [Moshiach] Zech 4:14), whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His Heikhal, even the Malach HaBrit, in whom ye have chafetz (delight): hinei, He is coming, saith Hashem Tzva’os.

2 But who may abide the Yom Bo’o (day of His coming)? Who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner’s eish, and like fullers’ soap:

3 And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of kesef; and He shall purify the Bnei Levi, and purge them as zahav and kesef, that they may offer unto Hashem an offering in tzedakah.

4 Then shall the offering of Yehudah and Yerushalayim be pleasing unto Hashem, as in the yamei olam (days of old), and as in shanim kadmoniyyot (former years).

5 And I will come near to you for mishpat; and I will be a swift ed (witness) against the mekhashfim (sorcerers), and against the mena’afim (adulterers), and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the almanah (widow), and the fatherless, and that turn aside the ger from his right, and fear not Me, saith Hashem Tzva’os.

6 For I am Hashem, I change not; therefore ye Bnei Ya’akov are not consumed.

7 Even from the yamei avoteichem ye are gone away from Mine chukkim, and have not been shomer over them. Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith Hashem Tzva’os. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8 Will a man rob G-d? Yet ye have robbed Me [Ex 20:15]. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In ma’aser (tithes) and terumah (offerings, contributions).

9 Ye are cursed with a me’erah (curse); for ye have robbed Me, even this whole Goy (nation).

10 Bring ye kol hama’aser (all the tithes) into the Beis HaOtzar (House of the Treasury), that there may be teref (food) in Mine Beis [Hamikdash], and prove Me now herewith, saith Hashem Tzva’os, if I will not open you the windows of Shomayim, and pour you out a brocha, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Malachi 3:1-10 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.