Commentari biblici

Ch. Malachi 1:1. Title

1. burden] either burden, from its weighty character as a Divine announcement, or oracle as that which is ‘taken up’ (Exodus 20:17 : Numbers 23:18) by the speaker. See note on Zechariah 9:1 in this Series.

Malachi] See Introd. pp. 7–9.

2. I have loved you] I have loved you with an everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3) and unchangeable (Romans 11:29) love. This is the keynote of all that follows. On this rests Jehovah’s claim to the filial honour and reverential fear which had been withheld from Him (Malachi 1:6); on this the patient forbearance of the present (Malachi 3:6), and the bright promise of the future (Malachi 4:2). This is the light that casts the dark shadow of the people’s ingratitude across the prophet’s page, and that shines through and beyond the darkness, unquenched and unquenchable.

Wherein] These short pointed questions are a characteristic of Malachi’s style, and lend great force to it. See Introd. p. 11.

I loved Jacob] The proof of this is contained in the implied contrast which follows, Comp. Genesis 25:23; Romans 9:10-13.

Ch. Malachi 1:2-5. Introductory Appeal

These verses form an exordium to the whole Book. The ungrateful disposition of the people and the unchanging love of God are in view in all that follows.

3. for the dragons] Rather, jackals. The unusual form of the word here (fem. instead of masc. as elsewhere) has led many to render, dwellings (LXX. δώματα ἐρήμου; and Syr.). But the derivation and meaning are not satisfactory. Rather, with R.V., I made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness. Unless indeed we neglect the accents and adopt a third rendering, which seems still better to preserve the parallelism, I made his mountains a desolation, and his heritage a wilderness for jackals.

The desolation of Edom here referred to was in all probability caused by Nebuchadnezzar, in fulfilment of the prophecy of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 49:17-22. Comp. Jeremiah 27:3-6). See Obadiah, Introd. pp. 20, 22, in this Series.

4. impoverished] Rather (with R.V. text, and so in Jeremiah 5:17), beaten down. “So Ephraim said of old ‘in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.’ Isaiah 9:9-10.” Pusey.

return and build] This rendering is retained in R.V., but as there is no evidence that Edom was carried away captive ‘return and build’ is, probably, according to a well-known Heb. idiom =‘rebuild.’ (Comp. Ezekiel 26:8; Ezekiel 26:12-14.) This Israel ‘loved’ of God had done, but Esau ‘hated’ of Him should not do.

border] i.e. land, or territory, as in Malachi 1:5 below. It is frequently rendered coasts, in A.V., e.g. 1 Samuel 11:3; 1 Samuel 11:7.

for ever] For the subsequent history of Edom, as fulfilling this prediction, see reference to Obadiah in note on Malachi 1:3 above.

5. your eyes shall see] Unharmed and in safety yourselves you shall witness the overthrow of Edom (comp. Psalm 91:7-8).

will be magnified from] Rather, be magnified over. It is an ascription of praise (comp. Psalm 48:1) to God who extends, as it were, His tutelary care over Israel, while utter destruction overtakes Edom. The contrast with Edom is emphasized by the insertion of the personal pronoun, “ye (Jews) shall say.”

Ch. Malachi 1:6 to Malachi 3:6. Rebuke and threatened punishment of the Priests and People

Ch. Malachi 1:6-14. Rebuke of the Priests

O priests] On them first the rebuke justly falls, because they were chiefly responsible for the ungrateful return made by the people to the love of Jehovah. But in them, as its representatives, the whole nation is addressed and reproved.

7. Ye offer polluted bread] i.e. sacrifices. The word is often used in this sense and rendered food; e.g. Leviticus 3:11; Leviticus 3:16. Elsewhere the sacrifices are called, the bread or food of God. Leviticus 21:6; Leviticus 21:8; Ezekiel 44:7.

Their duty, as expounders of the Law (ch. Malachi 2:7), was to refuse to offer such sacrifices when they were brought to them, and to teach the people that they were expressly forbidden. Leviticus 22:17-25; Deuteronomy 15:21. “Sacerdotes debuerant illa omnia rejicere, et potius claudere Templum Dei, quam ita promiscue admittere quæ Deus sibi offerri prohibuerat.” Calvin.

polluted thee] Comp. “ye have profaned me,” Ezekiel 13:19, R.V. “It is a bold expression. God speaks of our acts with an unveiled plainness, which we should not dare to use.” Pusey.

ye say] by your conduct, if not in words.

8. if] Rather, When. Their poverty since the return from Babylon might possibly be urged by them as an excuse for this.

Is it not evil?] Rather, It is no evil!, ironically, as in R.V.

offer it] The R.V. renders, present it, with a view no doubt to indicate that it is not the same Hebrew word as is rendered offer in Malachi 1:7 and in the former part of this verse.

thy governor] It is a foreign title, Pechah, that is here used, and so a badge of the continued servitude of the nation; though it may have been borne at this time by Jews, as it was by Zerubbabel at the Return from the Captivity. See note on Haggai 1:1.

accept thy person] i.e. regard thee with favour, as in Malachi 1:9, and elsewhere. The phrase, however, often occurs in a bad sense of exercising partiality, e.g. Leviticus 19:15; Psalm 82:2.