Malachi 3
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
2But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.
4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.
6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
7Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
10Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
11And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.
12And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.
13Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?
14Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
15And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
16Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
17And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
18Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- יְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâhH306815× in this chapter
Jehovah, Jewish national name of God
- אָמַרʼâmarH55912× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- אֵתʼêthH85310× in this chapter
properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)
- לֹאlôʼH38088× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- צָבָאtsâbâʼH66358× in this chapter
a mass of persons (or figuratively, things), especially reg. organized forwar (an army); by implication, a campaign, literally or figuratively (specifically, hardship, worship)
- אַתָּהʼattâhH8597× in this chapter
thou and thee, or (plural) ye and you
- כִּיkîyH35886× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- הָיָהhâyâhH19615× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- אֵלʼêlH4135× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8345× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- יוֹםyôwmH31174× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- מָהmâhH41004× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4304× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- עָבַדʻâbadH56474× in this chapter
to work (in any sense); by implication, to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.
- עַלʻalH59214× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- קָבַעqâbaʻH69064× in this chapter
to cover, i.e. (figuratively) defraud
- שׁוּבshûwbH77254× in this chapter
to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again
- בּוֹאbôwʼH9354× in this chapter
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
- בֵּןbênH11213× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- כֹּלkôlH36053× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- פָּנִיםpânîymH64403× in this chapter
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
- בַּיִתbayithH10042× in this chapter
a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)
- גּוֹיgôwyH14712× in this chapter
a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
- גַּםgamH15712× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- דָבַרdâbarH16962× in this chapter
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
- חָמַלchâmalH25502× in this chapter
to commiserate; by implication, to spare
- טָהֵרṭâhêrH28912× in this chapter
to be pure (physical sound, clear, unadulterated; Levitically, uncontaminated; morally, innocent or holy)
- יָרֵאyârêʼH33732× in this chapter
fearing; morally, reverent
- כֶּסֶףkeçephH37012× in this chapter
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
- אִישׁʼîyshH3762× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- מִיmîyH43102× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- מֲלְאָךְmălʼâkH43972× in this chapter
a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)
- מִנְחָהminchâhH45032× in this chapter
a donation; euphemistically, tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary)
- מַעֲשֵׂרmaʻăsêrH46432× in this chapter
a tenth; especially a tithe
- אֲנִיʼănîyH5892× in this chapter
I
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62132× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- צָרַףtsâraphH68842× in this chapter
to fuse (metal), i.e. refine (literally or figuratively)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72002× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- שָׁמַרshâmarH81042× in this chapter
properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.
- אָשַׁרʼâsharH8332× in this chapter
to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy); figuratively, to go forward, be honest, proper