Malachi 2:12 kjv
The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 2:12 nkjv
May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob The man who does this, being awake and aware, Yet who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!
Malachi 2:12 niv
As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the LORD remove him from the tents of Jacob?even though he brings an offering to the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 2:12 esv
May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man who does this, who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!
Malachi 2:12 nlt
May the LORD cut off from the nation of Israel every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the LORD of Heaven's Armies.
Malachi 2 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mal 2:13 | And this second thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears... | Direct continuation of judgment |
| Mal 2:14 | You ask, "Why?" Because the LORD was witness between you and the wife of your youth... | Cause for God's displeasure |
| Mal 2:15 | Has not the one God made them? And are they not his flesh and spirit? And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring. ... | Importance of lineage and faithfulness |
| Mal 2:16 | For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his violence with his garment, says the LORD of hosts. ... | Consequences of divorce/betrayal |
| Gen 2:24 | That is why a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. | Concept of one flesh union |
| Ex 20:3 | You shall have no other gods before me. | Idolatry parallels betrayal |
| Deut 6:5 | You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. | Covenant faithfulness |
| Deut 7:9 | Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love... | God's faithfulness |
| Ps 50:5 | "Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice!" | Covenant sealed by sacrifice |
| Ps 78:36-37 | Yet they deceived him with their mouths and lied to him with their tongues. But their hearts were not true to him; they were not faithful to his covenant. | Historical unfaithfulness |
| Prov 2:17 | that forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God. | Parallel to unfaithfulness |
| Prov 11:13 | Whoever goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing hidden. | Trustworthiness |
| Prov 20:25 | It is a snare to dedicate something rashly and to think about vows only after you have taken them. | Rash vows and their implications |
| Jer 3:1-10 | Israel's spiritual adultery and Judah's treachery. | Theme of covenant unfaithfulness |
| Ezek 16:8 | When I passed by you and saw you weltering in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' | God's salvific action |
| Ezek 20:32-44 | God's determination to bring His people back to Himself. | Covenant faithfulness demonstrated |
| Hosea 2:2-20 | Israel's harlotry described as covenant unfaithfulness. | Adultery as metaphor for sin |
| Zech 8:17 | And let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbor, nor love false swearing, for all these things that I hate, declares the LORD.” | Evil thoughts against companions |
| Matt 19:6 | They are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate. | God's intent for marriage |
| 1 Cor 6:17 | But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. | Spiritual union |
| Eph 5:31-33 | Marriage as a picture of Christ and the church. | Covenantal love in marriage |
| Heb 6:13-20 | God's unbreakable promise and oath to Abraham. | God's covenant faithfulness |
| Heb 12:22-24 | New covenant in Christ. | New covenant reality |
Malachi 2 verses
Malachi 2 12 Meaning
This verse condemns the betrayal of covenant partners, specifically referring to the "daughter of Jerusalem." It implies that the Lord, by His covenant relationship, will act as a witness against those who act treacherously towards their companions.
Malachi 2 12 Context
Malachi 2:10-16 addresses severe spiritual and social corruption within post-exilic Judah. The people had returned from Babylonian captivity with a renewed religious commitment, yet they had fallen into gross sin. This passage specifically denounces the unfaithfulness of the men of Judah towards their wives, particularly by divorcing them for foreign women, who likely brought their idolatrous practices with them. This act not only broke their marital covenants but also polluted the covenant community, as evidenced by the mixing of peoples and the spiritual defilement that ensued. The prophets' concern for covenant fidelity extends from national promises with God to intimate, personal relationships like marriage. The condemnation in verse 12 follows directly from God's disappointment over their corrupted worship (v. 10-11) and precedes the judgment against them for their mistreatment of their wives (v. 13-16).
Malachi 2 12 Word Analysis
Kělāyīm (כְּלָיִם): The plural form of "klei" (כְּלִי). It can refer to vessels, instruments, or property. Here, it functions metonymically, representing the possessions or descendants resulting from a union, highlighting the value and sanctity of that union. The phrase "each house" is implied contextually, as it refers to familial households.
Bōgēd (בּוֹגֵד): This Hebrew verb means to act treacherously, to deal treacherously, to be faithless, or to do deceitfully. It denotes a serious breach of trust and loyalty.
Ḏāt yĕhūḏāh (זַת יְהוּדָה): This translates to "the daughter of Judah" or more commonly in prophetic literature, "the daughter of Jerusalem," referring to the community or nation as a personified entity. It signifies the collective populace of Judah, especially its leading citizens who embodied its religious and social standing.
Ḳĕdōsh (קְדוֹשׁ): This means holy, sacred, set apart. The phrase "whom I love" indicates God's affectionate and especial regard, but it is contrasted with their abhorrent actions. It suggests that God’s love does not negate His judgment when covenant is violated. The people had profaned what was holy.
Mĕṭa‘ēf (מְטַעֵף): This verb means to commit adultery, to defile, or to be impure. Here, it speaks of spiritual infidelity and sexual impurity, often used metaphorically for breaking covenant relationships. It points to the corruption of God's people.
Lō hīṭṯā‘āha (לֹא הִטָּעַה): Means "has not dealt treacherously" or "has not played the harlot/acted immorally." The presence of the negative indicates that they have, in fact, committed these acts of betrayal and impurity.
Word Group Analysis:
- "And this also you do": Connects the current offense to the preceding condemnation of corrupted worship. It implies a pattern of sin, not an isolated incident.
- "cover the altar of the LORD with tears": This imagery portrays the grief and pain of unjustly divorced wives whose tears are shed upon the altar, witnessing their husbands' treachery. It signifies that their suffering is in the presence of God, who hears their cries.
Malachi 2 12 Bonus Section
The concept of God as a witness is foundational to understanding covenant. In ancient Near Eastern treaties, witnesses were called upon to invoke curses on the treaty-breaker. Malachi echoes this by positioning God as the ultimate witness against Israel’s breach of covenant. This verse underscores that marital fidelity is a reflection of spiritual faithfulness to God. The sin of corrupt marriages mirrored the broader corruption of their covenant relationship with the Lord. The prophecy addresses the internal societal breakdown that threatened the very fabric of the community rebuilding after exile, demonstrating that purity within the covenant community was paramount for God's continued presence and blessing.
Malachi 2 12 Commentary
The verse serves as a strong indictment against the spiritual and marital infidelity of the people of Judah. God, as the supreme Witness and Covenant Partner, observes and judges the deceit and defilement they have brought into His sight. The condemnation is particularly severe because their actions profaned what was consecrated. Their treacherous conduct, often manifested in divorcing their wives to marry foreign women, demonstrated a deep disregard for the sacred bonds God Himself ordained and sanctified. The phrase "the daughter of Jerusalem" personifies the nation, indicating that this betrayal was not a private matter but a public affront that tainted the entire community. God's love for His people does not blind Him to their sin; rather, it fuels His judgment against those who betray covenant loyalty.