Malachi 2:7 kjv
For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 2:7 nkjv
"For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 2:7 niv
"For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.
Malachi 2:7 esv
For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Malachi 2:7 nlt
"The words of a priest's lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the LORD of Heaven's Armies.
Malachi 2 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Malachi 1:1 | "The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi." | Prophecy concerning Israel |
| Malachi 2:6 | "True instruction was in his mouth, and injustice was not found on his lips." | Priestly faithfulness |
| Malachi 2:17 | "You have wearied the LORD with your words." | Accusation of priestly sin |
| Leviticus 10:3 | "And I will be sanctified among them." | Holiness of the priesthood |
| Numbers 3:9 | "They are to help Aaron and his sons by taking care of all the service of the tabernacle..." | Priestly responsibilities |
| Deuteronomy 17:9 | "and go to the Levitical priests, or to the judge who is in office in those days, and inquire..." | Seeking judicial/religious guidance |
| Deuteronomy 24:8 | "Be careful about an outbreak of virulent skin disease, to guard strictly by doing according to all that the Levitical priests instruct you..." | Obedience to priestly instruction |
| Jeremiah 18:18 | "Then they said, 'Come, let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not lost from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet.'" | Seeking prophetic counsel |
| Jeremiah 6:13 | "For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet to the priest, everyone deals falsely." | Priestly corruption |
| Jeremiah 23:22 | "But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds." | The power of prophetic instruction |
| Ezekiel 44:23 | "They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and they shall show them how to discern between the unclean and the clean." | Priestly teaching duty |
| Haggai 2:11 | "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests about the law..." | Seeking clarification of law |
| Hosea 4:6 | "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest to me..." | Consequences of rejecting knowledge |
| Luke 1:2 | "as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us" | Transmission of God's word |
| Romans 10:14 | "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?" | The necessity of messengers |
| 1 Corinthians 15:11 | "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me." | Grace enabling ministry |
| 2 Corinthians 5:20 | "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." | The role of ambassadors |
| 2 Corinthians 3:6 | "...who made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life." | Ministry of the Spirit |
| Ephesians 4:11 | "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers," | Gifts for building up the church |
| 1 Timothy 4:6 | "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed." | Training in doctrine |
Malachi 2 verses
Malachi 2 7 Meaning
This verse states that the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and from his mouth, people should seek instruction, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2 7 Context
Malachi's prophecy is directed towards the people of Judah and their priests following their return from Babylonian exile. The book addresses the spiritual apathy and corruption that had set into the community, particularly within the priestly class. The priests had become complacent and were offering inferior sacrifices, failing in their duties, and leading the people astray. Malachi contrasts this failure with the ideal of the priesthood as outlined in the Mosaic Law. Chapter 2 focuses on the condemnation of the priests for their unfaithfulness and their failure to uphold their covenant responsibilities, which included accurately teaching and preserving God's law. This verse sets the standard for what a priest should be, in contrast to what they had become.
Malachi 2 7 Word Analysis
- כִּי (ki): "for," "because," introducing the reason or explanation for the preceding statement, emphasizing the importance of the priest's role.
- שִׂפְתֵי (siftê): "lips of," the plural form of "lip," emphasizing spoken words and declarations. In the Hebrew, it's a construct state of שָׂפָה (sāp̄āh).
- כֹּהֵן (kohen): "priest," referring specifically to members of the Aaronic priesthood responsible for mediating between God and the people.
- יִצְּרוּ (yitzrū): "shall guard," "shall keep," "shall preserve." From the root צָרַר (tzarar), meaning to bind up, preserve, or guard. This implies an active responsibility to protect and maintain the purity of God's law.
- דָּעַת (da‘at): "knowledge," "understanding," referring to accurate and experiential knowledge, especially of God and His ways.
- וּמִפִּיו (umim’pîw): "and from his mouth." Combines the preposition מִן (min), "from," with פִּי (pî), "mouth," again emphasizing spoken words.
- תּוֹרָה (tôrāh): "instruction," "law," "teaching." Refers to God's revealed will and commands. It’s the foundation of the covenant.
- יְבַקְּשׁוּ (yiv’vaqq’shū): "shall seek," "shall request," "shall inquire." From the root בָּקַשׁ (baqash), indicating a diligent search or plea.
- כִּי (ki): "for," another conjunction introducing a reason.
- מַלְאַךְ (mal’’akh): "messenger," "angel." Here, it refers to the priest as a representative and spokesman for God. The plural form, מַלְאָכִים (mal’’akhim), can refer to heavenly beings or human messengers.
- צְבָאוֹת (tz’va’ot): "hosts," "armies." A common epithet for God (YHWH Tzevaot), signifying His sovereignty and power over all creation, including angelic armies.
Malachi 2 7 Bonus Section
The concept of the priest as a "messenger of the LORD of hosts" is pivotal. It connects to the New Testament understanding of ministers and apostles as ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), carrying a message of reconciliation. The verse also echoes the critical need for accurate spiritual leadership, highlighting how a corrupt or ignorant priesthood can lead a nation astray, as observed in the cycle of Israel's history (e.g., Hosea 4:6). The failure of the Levitical priesthood to preserve and communicate the Law accurately directly paved the way for the need for a new covenant, a ministry of the Spirit that fulfills and supersedes the old, as described by the Apostle Paul.
Malachi 2 7 Commentary
This verse establishes the sacred duty of the priesthood: to be custodians and communicators of divine truth. The priest's lips are to guard the knowledge of God's covenant, meaning they must possess it, understand it, and prevent its distortion or loss. Consequently, the people should turn to them for clear and accurate instruction. The reason given is profound: the priest acts as the "messenger of the LORD of hosts." This highlights the gravity of their calling. They are not merely teachers but divine envoys. Their words carry divine authority. In Malachi's time, the priests had failed in this by teaching what was false and accepting corrupted offerings. This verse serves as a stark reminder of the responsibility inherent in representing God. It implies that if priests faithfully fulfill their role, the people will seek their counsel, and God will be honored. Conversely, their failure to do so has dire consequences, as seen throughout Malachi. The emphasis is on faithfulness to the Word and truth, ensuring that God's message is accurately transmitted.