Malachi 3:13 kjv
Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
Malachi 3:13 nkjv
"Your words have been harsh against Me," Says the LORD, "Yet you say, 'What have we spoken against You?'
Malachi 3:13 niv
"You have spoken arrogantly against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?'
Malachi 3:13 esv
"Your words have been hard against me, says the LORD. But you say, 'How have we spoken against you?'
Malachi 3:13 nlt
"You have said terrible things about me," says the LORD. "But you say, 'What do you mean? What have we said against you?'
Malachi 3 13 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 16:7-8 | “and in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord... for He hears your grumblings against the Lord." | Israel's grumbling is against God directly. |
| Num 14:27 | "How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who grumble against Me? I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel..." | God hears every complaint. |
| 1 Sam 2:3 | “Talk no more so very proudly; Let no arrogance come from your mouth, For the Lord is the God of knowledge; And by Him actions are weighed.” | God knows all speech and motives. |
| Ps 50:21 | "These things you have done and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you and state my case to you.” | God's silence doesn't mean approval. |
| Ps 73:8-9 | “They scoff and speak with malice; They proudly threaten oppression. They set their mouth against the heavens...” | Arrogant speech directed against God. |
| Ps 78:19-20 | "Then they spoke against God; They said, 'Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?'" | Directly speaking in doubt against God's power. |
| Prov 6:12 | “A worthless person, a wicked man, Is he who walks with a perverse mouth;” | Description of one who speaks wickedly. |
| Isa 1:2-3 | "Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth; For the Lord speaks... ‘An ox knows its owner... But Israel does not know My people do not understand.’" | People's spiritual dullness and ignorance. |
| Isa 29:13 | "Therefore the Lord said: 'Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me...'" | Hypocrisy and outward devotion. |
| Isa 30:9-11 | "...this is a rebellious people, lying children... who say to the seers, ‘Do not see visions,’ And to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right...’" | Rejecting God's truth and word. |
| Jer 9:8 | “Their tongue is a deadly arrow; It speaks deceitfully...” | Deceptive and destructive words. |
| Ezek 33:10 | "Therefore, son of man, say to the house of Israel: ‘Thus you say, “If our transgressions and our sins lie upon us... how then can we live?”’" | The people questioning God's justice/ability to save. |
| Hos 4:1-6 | "For the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: 'Because there is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land...'" | Broader indictment of the nation's spiritual state. |
| Mal 1:2 | “‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’" | Another instance of their disputation. |
| Mal 2:17 | "You have wearied the Lord with your words; Yet you say, ‘In what way have we wearied Him?’ When you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them,’ or, ‘Where is the God of justice?’" | Earlier accusation of "wearing out" God. |
| Mt 15:8 | “‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.’” | Jesus quoting Isa 29:13, same theme of hypocrisy. |
| Lk 11:42 | “But woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithe of mint and rue and every kind of garden herb, and yet disregard justice and the love of God; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.” | Religious actions without genuine heart. |
| Rom 2:4 | "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" | God's patience met with continued rebellion. |
| Jas 3:8-9 | "But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God;" | The dangerous power of the tongue. |
| Jude 1:15-16 | "...to execute judgment on all, to convict all the ungodly... concerning all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." | God will judge harsh words against Him. |
| Rev 2:16 | "Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth." | God's judgment on words and actions. |
Malachi 3 verses
Malachi 3 13 Meaning
Malachi 3:13 presents a divine confrontation, where the Lord indicts the people of Judah for their defiant and insolent words spoken against Him. Despite the explicit nature of God's accusation, the people respond with feigned innocence, demanding to know how or in what specific way they have spoken harshly against Him. This exchange highlights their spiritual blindness, self-righteousness, and lack of understanding regarding their own rebellion against the Almighty, setting the stage for God's detailed indictment that follows.
Malachi 3 13 Context
Malachi 3:13 is situated within the latter half of the book of Malachi, a prophetic dialogue between God and His post-exilic people, Judah. The overarching context of Malachi is a series of six disputations or question-and-answer sessions where God states an accusation, the people question or deny it, and God provides further evidence. This verse immediately precedes God's detailed explanation (vv. 14-15) of their harsh words: their declaration that serving God is pointless, that the proud prosper, and that evildoers go unpunished. It forms part of the Lord's confrontation of a spiritually complacent and cynical community that had become disillusioned and negligent in their devotion, despite having returned from exile and rebuilt the temple. They observed religious rituals but their hearts were far from God, questioning His justice, His love, and the value of obedience. Malachi 3:13 highlights the people's deep spiritual rebellion and blindness, demonstrating their utter inability to perceive their own sin even when directly accused by God Himself.
Malachi 3 13 Word analysis
- Your words: (Hebrew: Divrekhem, דִּבְרֵיכֶם) - This refers not merely to internal thoughts but to spoken utterances, statements, and conversations. It implies open or whispered defiance. In the prophetic context, "words" can be a summary of actions and attitudes, revealing the true state of the heart.
- have been harsh: (Hebrew: Ḥazqū, חָזְקוּ) - This word, from the root ḥāzaq, typically means "strong," "firm," or "courageous." Here, when applied to words against God, it conveys the sense of being defiant, insolent, grievous, oppressive, or even violently aggressive. It indicates words that are stubborn, firm in their opposition, and without respect for God's authority or holiness. It's a striking indictment because it depicts their speech as not just negative, but forcefully set against God.
- against Me: (Hebrew: ʿĀlai, עָלַי) - The preposition "against" clearly indicates the direct target of their words: God Himself. This isn't merely grumbling about circumstances or human leaders, but a direct affront and challenge to the divine nature and rule of Yahweh. It highlights the blasphemous nature of their statements.
- says the Lord: (Hebrew: N'um YHWH, נְאֻם יְהוָה) - This is a standard prophetic formula, used hundreds of times in the Old Testament, which authenticates the message as coming directly from Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God. It lends divine authority and gravity to the accusation, ensuring the audience understands this is not the prophet's opinion but God's direct revelation. It emphasizes God's omnipresence and omniscience – He hears every word.
- Yet you say: (Hebrew: Va'omer'tem, וַאֲמַרְתֶּם) - This phrase introduces the people's response. The Hebrew "yet" (va) sets up a strong contrast, highlighting their audacious denial in the face of God's clear accusation. It implies an ongoing, characteristic behavior of denial, a feigned innocence.
- ‘In what way have we spoken against You?’: (Hebrew: Ma-ddaḇarnū ʿāleikha?, מַה־דִּבַּרְנוּ עָלֶיךָ) - This is a rhetorical question that expresses either complete ignorance, genuine bewilderment (unlikely, given the context), or, most probably, self-righteous indignation and defiance. It’s a challenge to God, demanding Him to justify His accusation. It reveals their spiritual dullness—they do not recognize their own sin or disrespect, viewing their critical speech as benign or even righteous. This denial itself compounds their sin.
Malachi 3 13 Bonus section
- Disputation Format: Malachi 3:13 exemplifies Malachi's unique literary style, a disputation or argument structure. God makes an assertion, the people ask a challenging question, and God then provides an elaborate explanation to prove His point. This format highlights the dialogue nature and the people's active role in their rebellion and denial. This is the fifth of six such disputations in Malachi.
- The Problem of the Heart: While Malachi deals with external issues like tithing and proper worship, the underlying theme consistently returns to the condition of the people's hearts. Their "harsh words" reveal that their outer obedience (where it existed) was not coupled with inner devotion, highlighting that genuine worship requires a transformed heart, not just external acts.
- Divine Awareness: The phrase "says the Lord" emphasizes God's full awareness of every thought and word. He is not a distant deity unaware of His people's innermost sentiments. This detail serves as both a warning for the rebellious and an encouragement for those who genuinely fear Him (Mal 3:16).
- Precursor to Full Revelation: This verse is a concise summary that is fleshed out in the subsequent verses (Mal 3:14-15), where God explains what their harsh words were: saying it is "useless to serve God" and that "evildoers prosper." It foreshadows the great separation God will make between the righteous and the wicked based on their reverence and words for Him.
Malachi 3 13 Commentary
Malachi 3:13 serves as a pivotal point, characteristic of the entire book, revealing the depth of Israel's spiritual decline. God confronts them not about outward ritual failure alone, but about the very posture of their hearts, expressed through their "harsh words" (ḥazqū) against Him. This direct accusation implies an insolent, defiant attitude. These were not words uttered in ignorance but were expressions of profound skepticism and dissatisfaction with God's justice and care. Their response, a feigned innocent "In what way have we spoken against You?", exposes a tragic spiritual blindness and an unwillingness to acknowledge their own rebellion. This dialogue underscores the truth that God is omniscient and hears everything; no word uttered, even in cynicism or doubt, escapes His notice. He holds people accountable for their speech because words often reveal the true condition of the heart. This divine confrontation lays the groundwork for God to explicitly detail their accusations, demonstrating that the root of their problem was not simply external neglect, but a heart hardened against God's promises and sovereignty.