In Malachi Chapter 2, the prophet continues his rebuke against the priests of Israel, warning them of the consequences of their corruption and neglect of their sacred duties. God reminds the priests of His original covenant with Levi, one marked by reverence, truth, and faithful instruction, and contrasts this with their current failure to guide the people properly. The chapter then shifts to address the broader unfaithfulness of the nation, particularly regarding marriage. Malachi condemns the practice of divorcing Israelite wives to marry foreign women who worship other gods, and he strongly denounces the treachery of breaking marital covenants. This chapter serves as a call to faithfulness, both in religious leadership and in personal relationships, reminding the people that God values covenant loyalty above all.
2 If you will not give ear and take it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the Lord of armies, then I will send the curse on you and will put a curse on your blessing: truly, even now I have put a curse on it, because you do not take it to heart.
3 See, I will have your arm cut off, and will put waste on your faces, even the waste from your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.
4 And you will be certain that I have sent this order to you, so that it might be my agreement with Levi, says the Lord of armies.
5 My agreement with him was on my side life and peace, and I gave them to him; on his side fear, and he had fear of me and gave honour to my name.
6 True teaching was in his mouth, and no evil was seen on his lips: he was walking with me in peace and righteousness, turning numbers of people away from evil-doing.
7 For it is right for the priest’s lips to keep knowledge, and for men to be waiting for the law from his mouth: for he is the servant sent from the Lord of armies.
8 But you are turned out of the way; you have made the law hard for numbers of people; you have made the agreement of Levi of no value, says the Lord of armies.
9 And so I have taken away your honour and made you low before all the people, even as you have not kept my ways, and have given no thought to me in using the law.
10 Have we not all one father? has not one God made us? why are we, every one of us, acting falsely to his brother, putting shame on the agreement of our fathers?
11 Judah has been acting falsely, and a disgusting thing has been done in Jerusalem; for Judah has made unclean the holy place of the Lord which is dear to him, and has taken as his wife the daughter of a strange god.
12 The Lord will have the man who does this cut off root and branch out of the tents of Jacob, and him who makes an offering to the Lord of armies.
13 And this again you do: covering the altar of the Lord with weeping and with grief, so that he gives no more thought to the offering, and does not take it with pleasure from your hand.
14 But you say, For what reason? Because the Lord has been a witness between you and the wife of your early years, to whom you have been untrue, though she is your friend and the wife to whom you have given your word.
15 … So give thought to your spirit, and let no one be false to the wife of his early years.
16 For I am against the putting away of a wife, says the Lord, the God of Israel, and against him who is clothed with violent acts, says the Lord of armies: so give thought to your spirit and do not be false in your acts.
17 You have made the Lord tired with your words. And still you say, How have we made him tired? By your saying, Everyone who does evil is good in the eyes of the Lord, and he has delight in them; or, Where is God the judge?
Important Verses
Verse 5 This verse recalls God’s covenant of life and peace with Levi, highlighting the reverence and fear the priesthood was originally meant to embody.
Verse 7 “For the priest’s lips are to keep knowledge, and it is his work to give teaching at the mouth of the Lord of armies.” This verse defines the priest’s true role as a faithful teacher and guardian of God’s truth.
Verse 10 This verse questions why the people have been unfaithful to one another and to the covenant of their fathers, highlighting the theme of communal betrayal.
Verse 14 This verse addresses the treachery of breaking faith with a wife, emphasizing that God is a witness to marriage covenants.
Verse 16 “For the Lord, the God of Israel, says that he hates divorce.” This verse is a direct and powerful statement condemning the practice of unjust divorce among God’s people.
