Malachi 2:1
New International Version
“And now, you priests, this warning is for you.

New Living Translation
“Listen, you priests—this command is for you!

English Standard Version
“And now, O priests, this command is for you.

Berean Standard Bible
“And now this decree is for you, O priests:

King James Bible
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

New King James Version
“And now, O priests, this commandment is for you.

New American Standard Bible
“And now, this commandment is for you, the priests.

NASB 1995
“And now this commandment is for you, O priests.

NASB 1977
“And now, this commandment is for you, O priests.

Legacy Standard Bible
“And now this commandment is for you, O priests.

Amplified Bible
“Now, O priests, this commandment is for you.

Christian Standard Bible
“Therefore, this decree is for you priests:

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, this decree is for you priests:

American Standard Version
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

Contemporary English Version
I, the LORD All-Powerful, have something else to say to you priests.

English Revised Version
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"And now, you priests, this warning is for you.

Good News Translation
The LORD Almighty says to the priests, "This command is for you:

International Standard Version
Now this commandment is for you priests:

Majority Standard Bible
?And now this decree is for you, O priests:

NET Bible
"Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.

New Heart English Bible
"Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.

Webster's Bible Translation
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

World English Bible
“Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“And now, to you [is] this charge, O priests,

Young's Literal Translation
And now, to you is this charge, O priests,

Smith's Literal Translation
And now to you this command, O ye priests.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is to you.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And now, O priests, this command is to you.

New American Bible
And now, priests, this commandment is for you: If you do not listen,

New Revised Standard Version
And now, O priests, this command is for you.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
NOW therefore, O priests, this commandment is for you.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Therefore this commandment is for you Priests
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And now, this commandment Is for you, O ye priests.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And now, O priests, this commandment is to you.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
A Warning to Priests
1“And now this decree is for you, O priests: 2If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to honor My name,” says the LORD of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already begun to curse them, because you are not taking it to heart.…

Cross References
Malachi 1:6-8
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ / By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible. / When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

Malachi 3:1-3
“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the LORD of Hosts. / But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire, like a launderer’s soap. / And He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. Then they will present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.

Nehemiah 13:29
Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

Jeremiah 23:1-2
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. / Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 34:1-10
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, / “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock? / You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock. ...

Isaiah 56:10-12
Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. / Like ravenous dogs, they are never satisfied. They are shepherds with no discernment; they all turn to their own way, each one seeking his own gain: / “Come, let me get the wine, let us imbibe the strong drink, and tomorrow will be like today, only far better!”

Zechariah 11:17
Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered and his right eye utterly blinded!”

1 Samuel 2:27-36
Then a man of God came to Eli and told him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal Myself to your father’s house when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh’s house? / And out of all the tribes of Israel I selected your father to be My priest, to offer sacrifices on My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in My presence. I also gave to the house of your father all the food offerings of the Israelites. / Why then do you kick at My sacrifice and offering that I have prescribed for My dwelling place? You have honored your sons more than Me by fattening yourselves with the best of all the offerings of My people Israel.’ ...

Leviticus 10:1-3
Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command. / So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died in the presence of the LORD. / Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.

Matthew 23:1-3
Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: / “The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. / So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

Matthew 23:13-15
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter. / Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You traverse land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Mark 7:6-9
Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. / They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’ / You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.” ...

Luke 11:42-44
Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former. / Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the chief seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces. / Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without even noticing.”

John 10:12-13
The hired hand is not the shepherd, and the sheep are not his own. When he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf pounces on them and scatters the flock. / The man runs away because he is a hired servant and is unconcerned for the sheep.


Treasury of Scripture

And now, O you priests, this commandment is for you.

Malachi 1:6
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

Jeremiah 13:13
Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

Lamentations 4:13
For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,

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Malachi 2
1. He sharply reproves the priests for neglecting their covenant;
10. and the people for marrying strange wives;
13. and for putting away their former ones,
17. and for infidelity.














And now
This phrase marks a transition, indicating a shift in focus or urgency. In the Hebrew text, the word "now" (וְעַתָּה, ve'atah) suggests immediacy and importance. It serves as a call to attention, emphasizing that what follows is of critical significance. Historically, this reflects a moment when God is addressing the priests directly, underscoring the pressing nature of His message.

this decree
The term "decree" (מִצְוָה, mitzvah) in Hebrew can also be translated as "command" or "instruction." It implies a binding directive from God, carrying the weight of divine authority. In the context of Malachi, this decree is not merely a suggestion but a command that demands obedience. The use of "decree" highlights the seriousness of the message and the expectation of compliance from the priests.

is for you
This phrase personalizes the message, making it clear that the decree is directed specifically at the priests. The Hebrew construction emphasizes direct address, indicating that the priests are the primary audience. This personal address serves to hold the priests accountable, as they are the spiritual leaders responsible for guiding the people in worship and adherence to God's laws.

O priests
The term "priests" (כֹּהֲנִים, kohanim) refers to the Levitical priests who were responsible for temple worship and the spiritual leadership of Israel. Historically, the priests held a position of great influence and were expected to model holiness and obedience. In Malachi's time, however, the priests had become complacent and corrupt, failing in their duties. This address serves as both a rebuke and a call to repentance, reminding them of their sacred responsibilities.

II.

(1-9) The decree against the priests.

(1) Commandment.--Better, decree. (Comp. the use of the verb from which this substantive is derived in Nahum 1:14; Psalm 7:6; Psalm 42:8.)

Verses 1-4. - § 4. For these derelictions of duty the priests are threatened with punishment. Verse 1. - This commandment. The threat or announcement is called a commandment, because God ordains it and imposes its execution on certain instruments. (For the expression, camp. Leviticus 25:21.) The threat is contained in vers. 2, 3.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And now
וְעַתָּ֗ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

this
הַזֹּ֖את (haz·zōṯ)
Article | Pronoun - feminine singular
Strong's 2063: Hereby in it, likewise, the one other, same, she, so much, such deed, that,

decree
הַמִּצְוָ֥ה (ham·miṣ·wāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4687: Commandment

is for you,
אֲלֵיכֶ֛ם (’ă·lê·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

O priests:
הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃ (hak·kō·hă·nîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3548: Priest


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OT Prophets: Malachi 2:1 Now you priests this commandment (Malachi Mal Ml)
Malachi 1:14
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