Malachi 2:5
3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your 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.
My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I 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.
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, which I gave to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.
- KJV
- My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
- WEB
- “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.
- ASV
- My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and stood in awe of my name.
- DARBY
- My covenant with him was of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and trembled before my name.
- BLB
- “My covenant was with him—life and peace—and I gave them to him; fear, and he feared Me, and before My name he was in awe.
- ÅB
- Den pakt jeg hadde med ham, lovte ham liv og lykke; det gav jeg ham for at han skulle frykte meg, og han fryktet meg og var forferdet for mitt navn.
- OTB
- «Min pakt med ham var en av liv og fred, og jeg ga dem til ham som et tegn på ærefrykt; slik æret han meg og sto i ærefrykt for mitt navn.
- B1930
- Den pakt jeg hadde med ham, lovte ham liv og lykke; det gav jeg ham forat han skulde frykte mig, og han fryktet mig og var forferdet for mitt navn.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Numbers 25:12–13
Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
Read in contextEzekiel 37:26
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
Read in contextEzekiel 34:25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
Read in contextNumbers 16:9–10
Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
Read in contextExodus 32:26–29
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
Read in contextNumbers 18:8–24
And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
Read in contextPsalms 106:30–31
Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.
Read in contextNumbers 3:45
Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.
Read in context