Malachi 2:5
in Malachi 2“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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
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.
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.
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This verse in Malachi 2
Commentary
8 notes on this verse(Verse 5 onwards) My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave him fear, and he feared me, and trembled at the presence of my name. LXX: My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave him fear to fear me, and he was in awe of the presence of my name. It is described from the perspective of God, the perfect duty of a priest, what he should be like, and how God wanted him to be, whom he commanded to be.
This site's exposition
My covenant was with him of life and peace
on Malachi 2:5-7
My covenant was with him of life and peace describes an ideal Levi the commentators generally identify with the tribe's priestly calling rather than one man, life and peace given in exchange for the fear wherewith he feared the Lord. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips paints the model priest as a teacher whose walking with the Lord in peace and equity turned many away from iniquity, the pastoral office at its intended best. The principle drawn is timeless, 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, the same word for messenger Malachi uses of himself and, at 3:1, of the one still to come.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A little further on Malachi speaks of Christ, again in the person of God: "My covenant was with him of life and peace, and I gave him fear; and he feared me, and he was afraid before my name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and equity and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the laws at his mouth because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts." No one should be astonished to hear Christ spoken of as "the angel of the Lord of hosts." He was called his servant because he came to humanity in the form of a servant; similarly he was called an angel because of the evangel, which he brought to humankind.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The ordinance of marriage, which is common to the world of mankind, and was instituted for the maintaining and keeping up of that; this was profaned both by the priests and by the people, in marrying strangers (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
My covenant was with him of life and peace,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
My covenant was with him life and peace; - literally “the life and the peace;” that, which alone is true “life and peace.” The covenant was not with Levi himself, but with Aaron, his representative, with whom the covenant was made in the desert, as is indeed here expressed; and, in him, with all his race after him, who succeeded him in his office; as, when it is said, that 1Ch 6:49, “Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of burnt-offering,” it must needs be understood, not of Aaron in person alone and his sons then living, but of any of his race that succeeded in his and their room.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
MAURER thus explains it; the Hebrew is, literally, "My covenant was with him, life and peace (to be given him on My part), and I gave them to him: (and on his part) fear (that is, reverence), and he did fear Me," &c. The former portion of the verse expresses the promise, and Jehovah's fulfilment of it; the latter, the condition, and Levi's steadfastness to it (De 33:8, 9).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
My covenant was with him of life and peace - These are the two grand blessings given to men by the New Covenant, which was shadowed by the Old. To man, excluded from the favor of God, and sentenced to death because of sin, God gave ברית berith, a covenant sacrifice, and this secured life - exemption from the death deserved by transgressors; communication of that inward spiritual life given by Christ, and issuing in that eternal life promised to all his faithful disciples. And, as it secured life, so it gave peace, prosperity, and happiness; peace between God and man, between man and man, and between man and his own conscience.
The words behind it
13 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בְּרִיתִ֣י׀ | beriti | covenant my | H1285 → | 284 times |
| הָיְתָ֣ה | hayetah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| אִתּ֗וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| הַֽחַיִּים֙ | hachaiyim | <the> life | H2416 → | |
| וְהַ֨שָּׁל֔וֹם | vehashalom | and <the> well-being | H7965 → | |
| וָאֶתְּנֵֽם־ | vaetenem- | and I gave them | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| ל֥וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| מוֹרָ֖א | mora' | fear | H4172 → | |
| וַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִי | vaiyiraeni | and he feared me | H3372 → | 315 times |
| וּמִפְּנֵ֥י | umipenei | and <from> because of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| שְׁמִ֖י | shemi | name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| נִחַ֥ת | nichat | he was in awe | H2865 → | |
| הֽוּא׃ | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
בְּרִיתִ֣י׀covenant my
beritiH1285 →284 times
הָיְתָ֣הit was
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
אִתּ֗וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
הַֽחַיִּים֙<the> life
hachaiyimH2416 →
וְהַ֨שָּׁל֔וֹםand <the> well-being
vehashalomH7965 →
וָאֶתְּנֵֽם־and I gave them
vaetenem-H5414 →2011 times
ל֥וֹto him
lo
מוֹרָ֖אfear
mora'H4172 →
וַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִיand he feared me
vaiyiraeniH3372 →315 times
וּמִפְּנֵ֥יand <from> because of
umipeneiH6440 →2123 times
שְׁמִ֖יname my
shemiH8034 →864 times
נִחַ֥תhe was in awe
nichatH2865 →
הֽוּא׃he
hu'H1931 →1879 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ezekiel 37:26And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever.
it leads to
- Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David.
- Jeremiah 30:19
Thanksgiving will proceed from them, a sound of celebration. I will multiply them, and they will not be decreased; I will honor them, and they will not be belittled.
- Ezekiel 34:25
I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
- Leviticus 26:11–12
And I will make My dwelling place among you, and My soul will not despise you.
- 2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and…
- Isaiah 55:3
Through
Ezekiel 34:25I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest.
it leads to
- Ezekiel 37:26
And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever.
- Isaiah 11:6–9
The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and a little child will lead them.
- Leviticus 26:6
And I will give peace to the land, and you will lie down with nothing to fear. I will rid the land of dangerous animals, and no sword will pass through your land.
- Ezekiel 37:26
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Malachi
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, City of God 18.35; Edward Bouverie Pusey, The Minor Prophets: A Commentary; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Malachi; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.