INTRODUCTION TO MALACHI 1
In this chapter the Lord declares his love to the people of Israel,
and proves it; and complains that the honour due unto him was not
given him; which he demonstrates by various instances. The inscription
is in Malachi 1:1 showing the name and nature of the prophecy; the
a... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BURDEN OF THE WORD OF THE LORD,.... By which is meant the prophecy
of this book, so called, not because heavy, burdensome, and
distressing, either for the prophet to carry, or the people to bear;
for some part of it, which respects Christ, and his forerunner, was
matter of joy to the people of G... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE LOVED YOU, SAITH THE LORD,.... Which appeared of old, by
choosing them, above all people upon the face of the earth, to be his
special and peculiar people; by bestowing peculiar favours and
blessings upon them, both temporal and spiritual; by continuing them a
people, through a variety of cha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I HATED ESAU,.... Or, "rejected" him, as the Targum; did not love
him as Jacob: this was a negative, not positive hatred; it is true of
him, personally considered; not only by taking away the birthright and
blessing from him, which he despised; but by denying him his special
grace, leaving him i... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREAS EDOM SAITH, WE ARE IMPOVERISHED,.... Or the Idumeans, as the
Targum; the posterity of Esau, who acknowledge themselves greatly
reduced by the desolations made in their country, cities, towns, and
houses, being plundered of all their valuable things. Kimchi
interprets it, if the congregation... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YOUR EYES SHALL SEE,.... The destruction of the Edomites, and
their fruitless attempts to rebuild their desolate places; and the
difference between them and the Israelites, who were returned to their
own land, and inherited it, when they could not; and the love of God
to the one, and his hatred... [ Continue Reading ]
A SON HONOURETH [HIS] FATHER, AND A SERVANT HIS MASTER,.... Or, "will
honour", or "should honour"; it is their duty to do so, both according
to the laws of God and man; and so the Targum,
"lo concerning a son it is said (or commanded) that be should honour
his father; and of a servant, that he shou... [ Continue Reading ]
YE OFFER POLLUTED BREAD UPON MINE ALTAR,.... Which some understand of
the shewbread, mention being afterwards made of a "table", as Jerom;
who observes that it was made of wheat, which the priests themselves
sowed, reaped, ground, and baked, and so could take what they would
out of it: as for their... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF YE OFFER THE BLIND FOR SACRIFICE, [IS IT] NOT EVIL?....
Certainly it is, according to the law in Leviticus 22:22 or, as Kimchi
interprets it, when they bring to you a lamb that is blind for
sacrifice to offer it up, ye say, this is not evil; but it is good to
offer it up, because the table is... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NOW, I PRAY YOU, BESEECH GOD THAT HE WILL BE GRACIOUS UNTO US,....
These are the words of the prophet to the priests; and are spoken
either seriously, exhorting them to that part of their office which
lay in interceding for the people that God would be gracious to them,
and forgive their sins; a... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO [IS THERE] EVEN AMONG YOU THAT WOULD SHUT THE DOORS [FOR
NOUGHT]?.... Either of the temple, as the Targum and Jarchi; for at
each of the gates of the temple there were porters appointed in
David's time, 1 Chronicles 26:1 and who were paid for their service:
or of the court, as Kimchi; the court... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN EVEN UNTO THE GOING DOWN OF THE
SAME,.... From east to west, which is all habitable; not so north and
south, as Kimchi observes, the extremes of which are not habitable.
Abarbinel thinks that מ in ממזרח is causal; and that the sense
is, because of the motion of the sun... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YE HAVE PROFANED IT,.... That is, the name of the Lord, which they
are said to despise, Malachi 1:6 and pollute, Malachi 1:7 and is a
reason why they and their offerings were rejected: and that they
profaned the name of the Lord appears by this,
IN THAT YE SAY, THE TABLE OF THE LORD [IS] POLLUT... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SAID ALSO, BEHOLD, WHAT A WEARINESS [IS IT]?.... These are either
the words of the priests, saying what a wearisome and fatiguing
business the temple service was to them, for which they thought they
were poorly paid; such as slaying the sacrifices; removing the ashes
from the altar; putting the w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT CURSED BE THE DECEIVER,.... A cunning, crafty, subtle man, who
thinks and contrives, speaks and acts, in a very artful and deceiving
manner; though some derive the word from יכל, "to be able"; and so
the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "who is able"; to bring
a proper offering, a perfe... [ Continue Reading ]