Malachi 2:10 kjv
Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Malachi 2:10 nkjv
Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another By profaning the covenant of the fathers?
Malachi 2:10 niv
Do we not all have one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?
Malachi 2:10 esv
Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Malachi 2:10 nlt
Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors?
Malachi 2 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Malachi 2:10 | Did not one father create all of you? Did not one God make you His own? | God's universal fatherhood |
| Genesis 1:26-27 | "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness..." So God created man in his own image. | God created humanity in His image |
| Genesis 2:7 | The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. | God's creative act for humanity |
| Deuteronomy 4:35 | You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. | God's uniqueness |
| Deuteronomy 6:4 | Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. | The Shema, foundational belief in one God |
| Isaiah 43:10 | "You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be any after me." | God's eternal pre-eminence |
| Isaiah 44:24 | This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: "I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself." | God's solitary creative power |
| Jeremiah 3:14 | "Return, O faithless Israel," declares the Lord, "I will not look on you with favor, because I am married to you. I will call you back, my children, one by one." | God's redemptive call, paternal relationship |
| Acts 17:24-28 | "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth... From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth." | God as creator of all nations |
| Romans 3:29 | Or is God only the God of Jews? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too. | God's universal nature |
| 1 Corinthians 8:6 | Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. | One God, the Father; one Lord, Jesus Christ |
| Ephesians 4:6 | one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. | Unity of God and His fatherhood |
| Galatians 3:26-28 | For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Spiritual unity in Christ, transcending social barriers |
| 1 Peter 1:15-16 | But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." | Call to holiness based on God's nature |
| 1 John 4:7-8 | Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. | Divine origin of love |
| John 1:3 | Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. | Christ's role in creation |
| Romans 11:36 | For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. | God as source and end of all |
| Colossians 1:15-17 | He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created... all things were created by him and for him. | Christ's role as agent of creation |
| Proverbs 10:12 | Hatred stirs up quarrels, but love covers all offenses. | Contrasting responses to conflict |
| Psalm 133:1 | How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. | The blessing of unity |
Malachi 2 verses
Malachi 2 10 Meaning
This verse highlights a fundamental theological principle: God is the singular creator of all existence, encompassing both humanity and the spiritual realm. This unity in creation underscores God's unique sovereignty and the inherent familial relationship He establishes with His people. The verse argues against division among people, asserting that if God created everyone, there should be no basis for estrangement or infidelity towards Him or one another. It establishes a spiritual kinship derived from a common divine origin, challenging any form of tribalism or exclusive allegiance that would detract from loyalty to the one true God.
Malachi 2 10 Context
This verse is found in Malachi chapter 2, a section where the prophet confronts the priests for their corruption and disregard for God's covenant. The preceding verses (Malachi 2:1-9) specifically address the failure of the priests to honor God and the reverence due to Him, leading to their teachings being despised. Chapter 2 then transitions to a broader critique of the people of Judah, who have been unfaithful in their marriages and have defiled the covenant of God through their actions. Malachi's message is delivered in the post-exilic period, after the return from Babylonian captivity. The community was struggling with maintaining their identity and adherence to God's law in a challenging environment, facing internal divisions and external pressures. The historical and cultural backdrop includes the rebuilding of the temple and society, a time when there was a strong emphasis on restoring purity and covenant faithfulness. However, this also brought a potential for pride and exclusivism among those who had remained in the land and those who returned.
Malachi 2 10 Word Analysis
"Hath": This is an archaic form of the verb "has" or "have," indicating possession or existence.
"not": A negation, denying the assertion that follows.
"one": Denotes singularity, uniqueness, or indivisibility.
"father": In the ancient Near East, the concept of fatherhood extended beyond biological ties to encompass lineage, authority, and a deep sense of responsibility.
"all": Signifies the entirety of humanity.
"of": Preposition indicating origin or source.
"you": Refers to the people addressed by the prophet, likely the community of Israel.
"questioned" / "made": Here, the Hebrew word used is "bara," which typically denotes "created." It implies a sovereign act of bringing into being.
"one": Again, emphasizing singularity.
"God": The supreme being, YHWH, the God of Israel.
"made": Referring to the act of creation and establishing a relationship.
"you": The people addressed.
"his": Possessive pronoun indicating God's ownership and claim.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Hath not one father of you?": This rhetorical question challenges the presumption of disunity or divisiveness. If they share a common paternal origin through God, then their divisions are illogical.
- "Did not one God make you?": This second question reinforces the first by pointing to their shared creation by a singular divine source. The term "make" (Hebrew: bara) emphasizes a unique creative act that established their very existence and their identity as a people.
- "Are ye not children of Abraham, your father?": Although this specific phrasing isn't in the English text provided, Malachi 2:10 actually connects to Abraham as a point of spiritual heritage. The implicit question is whether their shared spiritual ancestry, rooted in Abraham and ultimately in God the Creator, justifies their current state of unfaithfulness. Correction: Upon re-examination of Malachi 2:10 itself, it reads "Did not one father create you? Did not one God make you alive?" The common interpretation that links to Abraham stems from other passages in Malachi and the broader theological context.
Malachi 2 10 Bonus Section
The rhetorical questions in Malachi 2:10 function to highlight the hypocrisy of the Israelites. They claimed to be God's chosen people, yet their actions contradicted this claim by fostering division and disloyalty. The emphasis on a single Creator and Father directly counters any notion of superiority or exclusivism that might have arisen due to their covenant relationship, especially in contrast to other nations. The principle of common origin underscores the inherent dignity and unity of all humanity in the eyes of God. This verse prefigures the New Testament emphasis on spiritual kinship in Christ, where Jew and Gentile, slave and free, are made one. It challenges any basis for human stratification or discrimination that seeks to obscure the singular creative and redemptive purpose of God for all.
Malachi 2 10 Commentary
Malachi confronts Israel with their fractured relationships and infidelity by grounding his argument in their fundamental unity under God. The prophet’s rhetorical questions serve as a sharp rebuke to the priests and the people for their unfaithfulness, their corrupt worship, and their division, particularly evidenced by unrighteous marriages (Malachi 2:11-16). He reminds them that if they all stem from one Father and were all created by one God, then their arrogance, their betrayals of one another, and their separation from God are inconsistent with their shared origin. This truth calls for unity, fidelity, and mutual respect among God's people. The "making alive" (bara) also implies a spiritual dimension of God's active involvement in establishing them as His covenant people. This foundational truth of shared divine origin is meant to be a powerful incentive for holiness and covenant faithfulness, both towards God and towards each other.