Malachi 2:6
in Malachi 2True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
KJV
The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
⋯
This verse in Malachi 2
Commentary
10 notes on this verse(Verse 6) 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. LXX: The law of truth (also called truth itself) was on his lips, and iniquity was not found on his tongue. He walked with me in peace and turned many away from wickedness. The law of truth was on his lips, that is, the teaching of the peoples, which in the priest should not be defiled by any falsehood; but should proceed entirely from the fountain of truth.
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 Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
It is God only that by his grace can turn men from iniquity, and yet it is here said of a pious laborious minister that he turned men from iniquity as a worker together with God, and an instrument in his hand; and those that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the stars, Dan. xii.
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
Iniquity is not found - He judged not with respect of persons, or for bribes. He walked - His whole life was a continual walking with God; he lived with God, and to him. In peace - With God, and it was his aim to live peaceably with others.
The law of truth was in his mouth,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The law of truth was in his mouth - See the qualifications of Levi: 1. “He feared me;” he was my sincere worshipper. 2. “He was afraid;” he acted as in the presence of a just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did. 3. “My law of truth was ever in his mouth;” by this he directed his own conduct and that of others.
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
The priest was the ordinary expounder of the law; the prophets were so only on special occasions. iniquity . . . not found--no injustice in his judicial functions (De 17:8, 9; 19:17). walked with me--by faith and obedience (Ge 5:22). in peace--namely, the "peace" which was the fruit of obeying the covenant (Mal 2:5).
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).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The law of truth was in his mouth - Apart from those cases, which were brought to the priests at the tabernacle (Deu 17:9-11; Deu 19:17 (add Deu 21:5; Eze 44:23-24), hence, the use of אלהים Exo 21:6; Exo 22:7-8.), in which their voice was the voice of God through them, to teach the law was part of the office both of the priest and Levite. Of the priest God says; Lev 10:11, “that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes, which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses:” of the tribe of Levi generally Moses says Deu 33:10, “They shall teach Jacob Thy judgments and Israel Thy law.” After the schism of the ten tribes, a prophet says to Asa, that “Israel” had 2Ch 15:3, “for long time been without the true God and without a teaching priest and without law.” They are evil times, of which Ezekiel says Eze 7:26, “the law shall perish from the priest;” and God says of corrupt priests Jer 2:8, “The priest said not, where is the Lord? And they that handle the law knew Me not. Eze 22:26; Zep 3:4 they did violence to My law.” Upon their return from the captivity Ezra was known to Artaxerxes as Ezr 7:12, Ezr 7:21, “a scribe of the law of the God of heaven,” and he looked upon him apparently, as one who should keep the people in good order by teaching it. […]
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| תּוֹרַ֤ת | torat | instruction of | H8451 → | 219 times |
| אֱמֶת֙ | ʾemet | truth | H571 → | |
| הָיְתָ֣ה | hayetah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּפִ֔יהוּ | befihu | in mouth his | H6310 → | 498 times |
| וְעַוְלָ֖ה | veavlah | and unrighteousness | H5766 → | |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִמְצָ֣א | nimtza' | it was found | H4672 → | |
| בִשְׂפָתָ֑יו | visfatav | on lips his | H8193 → | |
| בְּשָׁל֤וֹם | beshalom | in peace | H7965 → | |
| וּבְמִישׁוֹר֙ | uvemishor | and in uprightness | H4334 → | |
| הָלַ֣ךְ | halakh | he walked | H1980 → | |
| אִתִּ֔י | ʾiti | with me | H854 → | 929 times |
| וְרַבִּ֖ים | verabim | and many [people] | H7227 → | |
| הֵשִׁ֥יב | heshiv | he turned away | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| מֵעָוֹֽן׃ | meavon | from iniquity | H5771 → |
תּוֹרַ֤תinstruction of
toratH8451 →219 times
אֱמֶת֙truth
ʾemetH571 →
הָיְתָ֣הit was
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
בְּפִ֔יהוּin mouth his
befihuH6310 →498 times
וְעַוְלָ֖הand unrighteousness
veavlahH5766 →
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
נִמְצָ֣אit was found
nimtza'H4672 →
בִשְׂפָתָ֑יוon lips his
visfatavH8193 →
בְּשָׁל֤וֹםin peace
beshalomH7965 →
וּבְמִישׁוֹר֙and in uprightness
uvemishorH4334 →
הָלַ֣ךְhe walked
halakhH1980 →
אִתִּ֔יwith me
ʾitiH854 →929 times
וְרַבִּ֖יםand many [people]
verabimH7227 →
הֵשִׁ֥יבhe turned away
heshivH7725 →1056 times
מֵעָוֹֽן׃from iniquity
meavonH5771 →
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
Daniel 12:3Then the wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever.
it leads to
- Matthew 13:43
Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
- Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
- James 5:19–20
My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back,
- Daniel 11:33
Those with insight will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by sword or flame, or be captured or plundered.
- Daniel 11:35
Some of the wise will fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
- Matthew 13:43
Through
Revelation 14:5And no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:27
and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
- Psalms 32:2
Blessed is the man whose iniquity the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.
- Zephaniah 3:13
The remnant of Israel will no longer do wrong or speak lies, nor will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths. But they will feed and lie down, with no one to make…
- Ephesians 5:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Malachi
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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.