Malachi 2:11 kjv
Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
Malachi 2:11 nkjv
Judah has dealt treacherously, And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, For Judah has profaned The LORD's holy institution which He loves: He has married the daughter of a foreign god.
Malachi 2:11 niv
Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the LORD loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god.
Malachi 2:11 esv
Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
Malachi 2:11 nlt
Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the LORD's beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols.
Malachi 2 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mal 2:10 | Has not one father created us all? Has not one God created us? Why then do we | Deut 6:4, Isa 43:10, 1 Cor 8:6 |
| Mal 2:10 | deal treacherously with each other, profaning the covenant of our fathers? | Ps 78:57, Jer 3:20, Neh 9:1-2 |
| Lev 18:22 | "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination." | Lev 20:13 |
| Deut 7:3 | "You shall not intermarry with them. You shall not give your daughters to | Ex 34:15-16, Ezra 9:1-2, Neh 13:23-27 |
| Deut 7:4 | their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons," | |
| Ezra 9:2 | "For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and | Neh 13:28 |
| Ezra 9:12 | "Do not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your | Deut 7:3 |
| Neh 13:23 | "In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and | Ex 34:16 |
| Neh 13:25 | "I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out | Mal 2:1-2, Prov 13:19 |
| Ps 106:35 | "They mingled with the nations and learned their ways" | |
| Isa 43:10 | "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen | Mal 2:10 |
| 1 Cor 8:6 | yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for | Mal 2:10, 1 Cor 10:17 |
| 1 Cor 10:20 | "The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not | Lev 17:7 |
| 2 Cor 6:14 | "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have | Deut 7:3-4, Neh 13:23-27 |
| 2 Cor 6:17 | "Therefore come out from among them and be separate," says the Lord. | Isa 52:11, Rev 18:4 |
| Eph 5:11 | Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. | |
| Eph 5:3-6 | But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of | 1 Cor 6:18, Gal 5:19 |
| Col 2:8 | See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, | |
| James 4:4 | You adulterous people, do you not know that friendship with the world is | 1 John 2:15-17 |
| Rev 21:27 | Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is shameful or | Isa 35:8, Heb 12:14 |
| Rev 18:4 | Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people," | 2 Cor 6:17, Jer 51:45 |
Malachi 2 verses
Malachi 2 11 Meaning
Malachi 2:11 describes a severe transgression where Judah has acted with treachery by profaning the sanctuary of the LORD and by marrying the daughter of a foreign god. This highlights a spiritual impurity and a betrayal of their covenant relationship with God.
Malachi 2 11 Context
Malachi's prophecy comes after the Babylonian exile, a period when God's people returned to Judah. However, many had fallen back into sin and neglect of God's commands. In chapter 2, Malachi addresses the corruption of the priests who have despised God's name and failed to uphold their covenant responsibilities. Verse 11 directly follows a denunciation of the priests for leading the people astray, and it highlights a specific sin that exemplifies this broader corruption: intermarriage with foreign women and the syncretistic worship that followed. This was a critical issue for Israel, as their distinctiveness and covenant loyalty were threatened by foreign religious practices.
Malachi 2 11 Word Analysis
- Jew (Yehud): Refers to a descendant of Judah, and by extension, the people of Israel. This term highlights the national and covenantal identity of those addressed.
- has acted treacherously (baḡaḏ): This verb signifies acting deceitfully, faithlessly, or unfaithfully. It implies a violation of trust and a betrayal of a covenant commitment. It emphasizes the malicious intent and the violation of the sacred trust between God and His people.
- and dealt treacherously (wa·yi·ḇa·ḡe·ḏu): The repeated use underscores the pervasive nature of this disloyalty, suggesting it was a widespread behavior within the community.
- with the daughter (ba·ṯ-lə·ḵa) of a foreign god (˒ēḏ lo·hîm ʒa·rîm): This phrase indicates marriage into families who worshipped foreign deities. The core of the transgression lies in embracing or allying with practices that were anathema to the LORD. "Foreign god" refers to gods other than the one true God, Yahweh.
- has profaned (ḥill·ləl): To desecrate, pollute, or treat with contempt. This word points to the disrespect shown towards the sacred things and covenant promises of the LORD.
- the sanctuary (ma·qə·ḏā·ḵə) of the LORD of hosts (YHWH Ṣə·ḇā·˒ō·ṯ): "Sanctuary" refers to the holy place, the Temple, and by extension, the holiness associated with God’s presence. "LORD of hosts" is a title emphasizing God's supreme power and authority as the commander of heavenly armies. Profaning the sanctuary means contaminating it with impurity and disrespect.
Malachi 2 11 Bonus Section
The act of marrying a "daughter of a foreign god" implicitly meant embracing or at least tolerating the worship associated with that foreign deity. This contrasted sharply with God’s command for Israel to remain a separate people, holy unto Him (Lev 20:24-26). The context of Malachi indicates that this sin contributed to a general atmosphere of religious laxity and a devaluation of covenant commitments. The spiritual lineage and faithfulness of the nation were being jeopardized. This practice had also been a significant problem in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, leading to similar denunciations and remedial actions. The issue strikes at the heart of covenantal fidelity, highlighting that faithfulness to God extends to one's relationships and the purity of one's spiritual household.
Malachi 2 11 Commentary
Malachi 2:11 pinpoints a significant breach of covenant, namely intermarriage with pagans. This was not merely a social concern but a theological one. It represented a turning away from exclusive devotion to Yahweh and an embrace of idolatry, thereby compromising the distinctiveness and holiness of God's covenant people. The prophets repeatedly warned against such unions because they inevitably led to syncretism, where the worship of foreign gods would infiltrate Israelite practice, polluting their worship and spiritual life. The priests, who were meant to be guardians of holiness, were implicated as they not only tolerated but likely participated in or set the example for these practices, thus profaning the very presence of God among His people. This verse serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining spiritual purity and exclusive loyalty to God in all aspects of life, including marriage and association.