Malachi 1:6 to Malachi 2:16. Israel's Disregard of this Love. This section falls into two parts, one dealing with the priesthood (Malachi 1:6 to Malachi 2:9), the other with the people (Malachi 2:10-16). Yahweh has not received the honour due to a father from a son, or to a master from a servant. The priests (note the sudden application, Malachi 1:6) have brought His service into contempt by offering polluted bread (an archaic expression for sacrificial flesh) upon His altar. They bring imperfect and inferior animals which were forbidden by the Law (Leviticus 22:20-24) and which they would not think of offering to their Persian governor. They see no harm in this (ye say) it is nothing serious (Malachi 1:8) but the prophet ironically asks them whether they think God will accept their persons, i.e. receive them favourably (Heb. lift up the face of a suppliant). They might as well shut the Temple doors and cease from the task of offering these unworthy and unpalatable sacrifices. Yahweh prefers the religious earnestness of the Gentiles to the insincerity of Israel. Malachi 1:11 is not a prediction (as AV and mg.) but a contrast (cf. Malachi 1:14) existing in Malachi's own time; perhaps he had come into contact with the comparatively pure heathenism of the Persians. His remark is an anticipation of Peter's word in Acts 10:35. The expression my name need not be forced so as to presuppose a Divine revelation and to refer to the Jews of the Diaspora as being more mindful of Yahweh among the heathen than their lax compatriots were at Jerusalem. This would involve our interpreting incense and offering in the sense of prayer and praise. Nor need we with early Christian writers like Justin (Trypho, § 41) and Irenæ us (IV. xvii. 5) see here a prediction of the Eucharist. Malachi's point is that among the Gentiles there were monotheists, and that when offerings were presented to God as One, they were accepted by Yahweh as presented to Him. In contrast to their earnestness the priests of Israel not only offer unworthy gifts, but regard the service of the sanctuary as a bore, a mere wearisome routine. They snuff at, i.e. sniff at or despise the altar (Malachi 1:13; cf. Psalms 10:5; Haggai 1:9). The laity are included (Malachi 1:14) in the charge of disrespect amounting to deceit a man vows a valuable male animal and then redeems his vow by offering an inferior or blemished beast. Malachi 2:1-9 turns again to the priests and shows how unworthy they are as descendants of Levi, whose covenant fear of God had issued in faithful and reverent service (Malachi 2:6). Unless a speedy and thorough reformation is forthcoming, Yahweh will send His curse upon them and openly disgrace them; nay, this retribution is so certainly determined that it may be regarded as already brought about (Malachi 2:9).
Malachi 2:3. I will rebuke your seed: i.e. make your field unfruitful. But as priests were not tillers of the soil we may, changing the Heb. vowel points, read with LXX rebuke your arm (mg.). A further slight change yields hew off your arm (cf. 1 Samuel 2:31); in any case their functions and authority are threatened. The following words threaten a greater indignity For sacrifices read pilgrimages (Exodus 23:14-17).
Malachi 2:4. that my covenant might be with Levi: that my covenant with the tribe of Levi might stand firm. As in Malachi 3:3 so here and in Malachi 2:8, Malachi has in view the wider connotation of the term Levite as used in Dt., according to which every member of the tribe, ipso facto, possessed priestly rights. The narrower sense is found in P, which rigidly limits the priesthood to the descendants of Aaron and makes the Levites a subordinate order.
Malachi 2:5. Read with Driver, My covenant was with him: life and peace, and I gave them unto him; fear, and he feared me. Yahweh gives His priests welfare and prosperity, they in turn give Him reverence.
Malachi 2:6. The law of truth: sound oral counsel on matters of religion. So in Malachi 2:7 the true priest is skilled in the knowledge of the Law on its ethical and ceremonial sides (cf. the Blessing on Levi in Deuteronomy 33:8-11).
Malachi 2:9. base: abased, humiliated. but have had respect of persons: apparently the priests had been open to bribery (cf. Micah 3:11), but perhaps we ought to read, nor respect me.