I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.
I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name. The 'theft' immediately meant is similar sacrilege to that complained of, the withholding of their due portions from the Lord's servants, the Levites (Nehemiah 13:10); and the withholding of the due tithes and offerings from the Lord (Malachi 3:8). They robbed God by neglecting to give Him His due in building His house, while they built their own houses, forswearing their obligations to Him; therefore, the "houses" which they build shall be "consumed" with God's "curse." Probably literal theft and perjury accompanied their virtual theft and perjury as to the temple of God (Malachi 3:5). Stealing and perjury go together; because the covetous and fraudulent perjure themselves by God's name without scruple (see Proverbs 30:9).
And it shall enter into the house. In vain they guard and shut themselves up who incur the curse; it will inevitably enter even when they think themselves most secure.
And shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof - not leaving a vestige of it. So the "stones" and "timber" of the house of a leper (the type of the sinner) were to be utterly removed (Leviticus 14:45: cf. 1 Kings 18:38).