use the present, not the future tense here, and throughout the verse. "My name is great or glorified...

among the Gentiles...among the heathen] stand in A. V. as renderings of the same Heb. word. It would be better expressed in both places by among the nations (comp. Exod. xxxiii. 13).

in every place incense] is offered. In the Heb. there is a striking alliteration, which is lost in the translation.

12. But ye have profaned it]

Rather,

But you are they that profane it. The table of the LORD, &c.] Rather, The table of Jehovah, it is polluted; for the pronoun is emphatic.

and the fruit thereof, &c.] Rather, and as to its fruit (ie. what is on it) its meat is despised. Thus in Heb. xiii. 15, prayer is καρπὸς χειλέων, being on the lips.

13. what a weariness is it!]_ie. "what a wearisome, ungrateful task it is for us to consume such food!" The same word is rendered by travail in Exod. xviii. 8; by travel in Num, xx. 14; by trouble in Neh. ix. 32.

and ye have snuffed at it] Rather, and ye sniff at it, as an animal would when it rejects food; but comp. the use of the word in Haggai i. 9.

This passage is one of the instances furnished by the Masorah of what it calls Tikkun Sopherim, "Correction of the Scribes," in which a corruption of the text is assumed in order to escape expressions deemed derogatory of the dignity of Jehovah. A substitution of inis for ni is suggested; see Buxtorf, 'Lex. Chald.' p. 2631 sq.

that which was torn] Rather, what is stolen, or taken by violence.

CHAP. II. 1. this commandment] Or, according to Fürst, this commission of mine, my mission in this present case, is to you. Keil explains it by this purpose of mine = this which Nahum i. 14. I (Jehovah) purpose to do; and compares

2. a curse] Rather, the curse, the article being emphatic, in reference to the curse of the law contained in Deut. xxvii. 15-26, xxviii. 15-68. "Maledictio plus est quam imprecatio. Imprecatio verbis tantum fit. Maledictio Dei etiam effectum habet." Drusius. I avill curse your blessings] i.e. I will turn your blessings into curses.

I have cursed them] Literally, I have cursed it, the fem.-sing, suffix being used distributively to signify each one of your blessings.

3. I will corrupt your seed] Rather, I will check your seed by reproving, i.e. my reproof shall check the productiveness of the harvest for seed = produce of the seed sown, comp. Isai. xxiii. 3. The same verb occurs infr. iii. 11 in a promise, as here in a threat. Corrupt is an unfortunate rendering, not to mention that it represents another Heb. root in v. 8 infr. Rebuke gives the sense in iii. 11; and also in Ps. ix. 5, lxviii. 30, cvi. 9; Nahum i. 4; but in all these passages the idea of restraint is more or less involved. Note at the end of the Chapter.

See

dung] i.e. the dung of the animals offered

faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and 'one shall take you away

with it.

4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts. 5 My covenant was with him of life and and I peace; gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

7 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.

in sacrifice, which with the skin and the flesh was burned without the camp; see Exod. xxix. 14.

of your solemn feasts] Rather, of your festal sacrifices, comparing the use of the word in Exod. xxiii. 18; Ps. cxviii. 27; Isai. xxix. I.

one shall take you away with it] Rather, one shall cast you to the same place, i.e. without the camp, meaning that they shall be excommunicated. Comp. 1 K. xiv. 10.

4. that I have sent this commandment] Rather, that I have declared this my purpose, as in v. I supr.

that my covenant might be, &c.] Rather, that my covenant with Levi (=the Levites as a body) might stand fast; see Num. iii. 5 ad fin.

5. My covenant] Cp. Num. xxv. 12, 13. was afraid before] Literally, bowed himself down from before, an action expressive of deep reverence and humiliation. In the parallel passages in 2 S. xxii. 35; Ps. xviii. 34, this verb is incorrectly rendered broken. It should be bent. The Psalmist is speaking of the strength which God had given him as enabling him to bend the strongest bow. The verb shabar signifies to break the bow; see Ps. xxxvii. 15; Hos. i. 5, ii. 18; Jer. xlix. 35.

6. and iniquity was not found] Rather, and as to perverseness, it was not found.

equity] The rendering of a noun which literally means a plain, a level table-land, a plateau-figuratively, the making level by re

ought to

moving obstructions (Zech. iv. 7); and then, as here, equity, honesty, plain dealing; as in Isai. xi. 4.

7. should keep, &c.] Rather, have kept... and men sought the law, &c., i.e. when the priests were faithful ministers of God and did their duty.

8. are departed out of] Rather, have turned aside from, as in Deut. xvii. 20. the way] That is, of those priests of old, who were faithful to God.

9. base] Rather abased or brought low. have been partial in the law] Lit. have lifted up faces in (the administration of) the law; comp. sup. i. 8; Gen. xix. 21; 1 S. xxv.

35.

10-16. From the priests the prophet turns to rebuke those who divorced their wives and intermarried with foreign women; see Ezra ix.; Neh. xiii. 23—27.

10. one father...one God] i.e. "is not our God the same God whom our forefathers served, and whose covenant they kept by marrying wives of their own race?"

deal treacherously against] i.e. deceive. The Heb. verb bagad is the catch-word of this and the following verses down to v. 16; see VV. 11, 14, 15, 16.

covenant of our fathers] Referred to in Exod. xix. 5; Deut. vii. 3, 4, and re-enforced in Ezra ix. 12, X. 3.

11. the holiness of the LORD] Holiness is Jehovah's highest attribute-that by which He swears; comp. Amos iv. 2; Ps. lxxxix. 35.

which he loved, &c.] Rather, in that he

12. The LORD will cut off] Rather, Let Jehovah cut off, the verb being hortative. the master and the scholar] Literally, the waker and the answerer, which Jac. Cappellus applies to minister and congregation-priest and laymen-referring to Deut. xxvii. 15, 16, &c., &c., and 1 Cor. xiv. 16; but it is rather a proverbial expression for every living member of the transgressor's family. Cp. Deut. xxxii. 36, where "the shut up one and let free one"= the bond and the free-all: see Vol. I. pt. 2, p. 919 note, ad loc.

out of the tabernacles of Jacob] i.e. from among the families of Jacob.

and him that offereth] Rather, even him that offereth, i.e. notwithstanding that he offereth.

The descent from Jacob, and the outward service, will not avert the Lord's retributive judgment.

13. again] i.e. a second time, in reference to Neh. xiii. 23, notwithstanding what is

recorded of the repentance of the people for

this particular sin in Ezra ix., x.

with tears] i.e. of the divorced wives, when supplanted by foreign rivals.

insomuch that he regardeth not] Rather, so that He would not turn graciously towards; comp. 2 S. ix. 8; Ps. xxv. 16.

or receiveth it, &c.] Rather, neither receive an acceptable gift at your hands; comp. Isai. lx. 7.

14. Wherefore?] i.e. Why does God refuse to accept our offerings?

companion] Rather, partner. The Heb. root implies a very close and intimate association, as of partners, friends, confederates, accomplices, &c.: comp. Hos. iv. 17, vi. 9, and Dan. vii. 20.

15. And did not he make one? &c.] Rather, And hath no one acted thus, who yet had a remnant of sense in him? i.e. And hath no one acted thus with regard to his wife, who had any sense in him? The Jews put this question to the prophet in Sarah in the matter of Hagar. The prophet replies: And wherefore did the one (Abraham) so act? He acted thus in seeking seed of God, i.e. in carrying out the divine will with regard to Isaac and Ishmael. But do you keep a guard upon your own spirit: comp. Deut. iv. 15; Jer. xvii. 21.

reference to Abraham and his treatment of

none] Rather, no one of you.

16. For the LORD, the God of Israel, &c.] Rather, For that he hateth (her) let him put her away, saith Jehovah the God of Israel. The objecting Jews again reply to the prophet, by referring to the permission of divorce given in Deut. xxiv. 1—4; but this was only an exception to a general law, and certainly did not cover the case of men who divorced Jewish wives in order to contract heathen alliances; see Matt. v. 31, 32; Mark speak of Jehovah as the God of Israel, whereas X. II, 12. We may notice that the Jews the prophet in his reply calls Him Jehovah of Hosts.

for one covereth violence with his garment] Rather, "and yet should one cover himself with violence against his wife?" The prophet's reply may be thus paraphrased: "Can conduct towards your wives, which is conanything justify your violent and treacherous trary to the moral sense and a violation of the moral law? Nothing; therefore set a guard upon your own spirit so as not to deal thus treacherously." The noun, which means properly a garment, is here only used figuratively for wife. For the construction, comp. the use of the word in Ps. lxv. 13. Maurer and Scholz give the same mean

a Matth.

with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is

good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

'T. IO. Mark 1. 2.

7. 27.

17. In this verse the prophet takes up a new subject (viz, the coming of the day of Jehovah), which occupies him to the end of his prophecy. From ii. 17-iii. 6 inclusive may be regarded as God's reply by His pro

NOTE on

The rendering of the LXX. is idoù ey ἀφορίζω ὑμῖν τὸν ὦμον, which suggests the reading for and y for . Comp. Deut. xviii. 3. The Vulgate has Ecce, ego projiciam vobis brachium in the same sense.

CHAPTER III.

1 Of the messenger, majesty, and grace of Christ.
7Of the rebellion, 8 sacrilege, 13 and infidelity
of the people. 16 The promise of blessing
to them that fear God.

EHOLD, "I will send my mes-
and he shall
senger,
prepare

BEHOLD, "I will send my pare

Luke 1. 76. the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

2 But who may abide the day of

CHAP. III. 1. prepare the way] Comp. Isai. xl. 3, lvii. 14, Îxii. 10. These passages clearly indicate the nature of the preparation. Keil says the expression is peculiar to the writings of Isaiah, and that Malachi borrowed it from that source.

before me] i.e. before God, i.e. before Messiah one with Me. All the three Evangelists who apply this passage to the mission of John the Baptist, change the person here, and have before thy face, before thee, i.e. they use the words as though they were spoken by God the Father to God the Son, when sending Him into the world as the Messiah and Redeemer of mankind.

the Lord] (Heb. Ha-adon) meaning the Messiah, who is also the messenger and minister of the new dispensation.

whom ye seek] is equivalent to whom ye are expecting or looking for, as the promised deliverer of Israel (comp. Luke ii. 25, 38). Wordsworth notices the latent irony in the words whom ye seek, whom ye delight in.

Every one that doeth evil, &c.] Comp. Isai. V. 19, 20, where we have the same two ideas in an inverted order. First, the ironical challenge to God to make Himself known in judgment (comp. 2 Pet. iii. 4); and secondly, the calling evil good, and good evil,

suddenly] i.e. unawares, when He is not looked for by you. Comp. 2 Chro. xxix. 36. aipns of the LXX. rather than statim of the Vulgate.

2. Comp. Nahum i. 6 and Joel ii. 11 with this passage and with Rev. vi. 17.

fullers' soap] Rather, soap of the washers. The first notion of the word rendered fuller is that of cleansing by stamping with the feet. See Jer. ii. 22. The verb occurs in a figurative sense in Jer. iv. 14.

3. purge them] The original notion of the root is that of cleansing or purifying by filtering or straining; comp. Isai. xxv. 6; Ps. xii. 6; but it also admits the notion of melting by fire, as essential to that of straining in the case of metals.

4. shall be pleasant] sweet; as in Jer. vi. 20.

and note.

Literally, shall be Comp. Hos. ix. 4,

5. to judgment] This is Jehovah's reply

I Or, defraud.

1361

¿Zech. 1. 3.

judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that "oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7 ¶ Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. b Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8¶ Will a man rob God? Yet

ye have robbed me. But ye say,

to the question with which z. 17, c. ii. concludes.

swift]

Literally, one that hasteth. The Heb. word is found in a contracted form in Zeph. i. 14.

sorcerers] Properly, mutterers of incantations; see 2 Chro. xxxiii. 6, where the expression is used witchcraft.

false swearers] Comp. Zech. viii. 17 and Jer. xxvii. 15.

6. I change not] i.e. I am not changeable or fickle; comp. Prov. xxiv. 21; Hos. xii. 5 and note; and for the sentiment, Lam. iii. 22, It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, where the Heb. verb is different; see also Hab. i. 12.

7-12 contain a reproof of the Jews for not paying tithes and oblations; and an assurance of prosperity, if they are duly rendered.

7. Even] This word represents a Heb. particle, which is all but redundant; comp. Num. xviii. 7; 1 K. vii. 32, and Fürst, p. 718 b.

8. rob] Rather, defraud, which meaning is in accord with the quibbling, selfjustifying spirit of the Jews in the days of Malachi, illustrated by the questions," Wherein shall we return?" "Wherein have we robbed thee?" &c., a spirit which survived in the man who, willing to justify himself, said, "And who is my neighbour?" Comp. Neh. xiii. 10.

9. this whole nation] Not this people (Ha-goi, not Ha'am). The latter title, which

would indicate their relation to God, is withheld from them on account of their sin.

whole] Literally, the whole of it; comp. 2 S. ii. 9; Ezek. xxix. 2.

10. storehouse] Rather, treasure-house, as in Dan. i. 2, and Neh. x. 38. The use of this word here implies a date subsequent to the restoration of the temple.

meat] Literally, that which is torn ог lacerated, and so specially used of the food of lions; see Job iv. 11, xxxviii. 39; Gen. xlix. 9. In Ps. cxi. 5; Prov. xxxi. 15, and here, the word means simply food, perhaps with some notion of portioning out. Comp. Hos. viii. 7. As to the use of the word in Ps. lxxvi. 4, see note ad loc. Vol. IV. p. 344.

pour you out] Implying in abundance, to overflowing; comp. Zech. iv. 12; Eccles. xi. 3.

that there shall not be room enough] Literally, to not a bare sufficiency, i.e. above what is sufficient, to superabundance.

11. rebuke] Implying restraint; see sup.

ii. 3.

the devourer] Signifying probably the locust, called elsewhere by the parallel terms gazam, chásil. See Joel i. 4 and note. In Judg. xiv. 14 the same word refers to the lion.

cast her fruit before the time] Right: the same idea of premature (and therefore immature) production is involved in the use of the word from the same root in Hos. ix. 14. Comp. Job xxi. 10; Gen. xxxi. 38; Exod. xxiii. 26.

12. all nations shall call you blessed] Rather, all the nations shall bless you deem you blessed; comp. Luke i. 48.