Malachi 3:16
in Malachi 3At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then they that feared Jehovah spake one with another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before him, for them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon his name.
KJV
Then 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.
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This verse in Malachi 3
Commentary
10 notes on this verseThey that feared the Lord - There were a few godly in the land, who, hearing the language and seeing the profligacy of the rebels above, concluded that some signal mark of God’s vengeance must fall upon them; they, therefore, as the corruption increased, cleaved the closer to their Maker. There are three characteristics given of this people, viz.: - 1. They feared the Lord. They had that reverence for Jehovah that caused them to depart from evil, and to keep his ordinances. 2. They spake often one to another. They kept up the communion of saints.
This site's exposition
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another
on Malachi 3:16-18
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another answers the surrounding complaint with a quiet remnant, a minority who kept faith while the majority questioned whether faith was worth keeping, gathering in mutual encouragement rather than in the crowd's cynicism. The Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him gives that quiet faithfulness a permanence the complainers' loud doubt never earns, every word remembered rather than lost in the noise of the age. They shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels closes the chapter on ownership and mercy, the Lord sparing them as a man spareth his own son, with the promise that a day is coming when the righteous and the wicked, indistinguishable to the complainers of verse 15, will finally be told apart.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
But by us, who are servants of God, who renounce both voluptuousness and ambition, each is to be repudiated. Fleshly concupiscence claims the functions of adult age, craves after beauty's harvest, rejoices in its own shame, pleads the necessity of a husband to the female sex as a source of authority and comfort or to render it safe from evil rumors. To meet these counsels, do you apply the examples of sisters of ours whose names are with the Lord—who, when their husbands have preceded them [to glory], give to no opportunity of beauty or of age the precedence over holiness. They prefer to be wedded to God. To God their beauty, to God their youth [is dedicated].
(Verse 16) Then those who feared God spoke to one another. LXX: These are the ones who spoke, those who fear the Lord, each one to his neighbor.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Then - When contempt of God was grown so high. That feared the Lord - Those that were truly religious. Spake often - Conversed together the more frequently.
To his temple - That which was the second temple at Jerusalem, lately built by Zerubbabel and Joshua. The messenger - The angel of the covenant, the Messiah, in whose blood the covenant between God and man was confirmed. Whom ye delight in - You Jews, among whom, few there are, who do not please themselves to think of his coming, tho' from various motives.
Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another,....
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
To which it is readily answered, "Here he is; he is just at the door; the long-expected Messiah is ready to appear; and he says, For judgment have I come into this world, for that judgment which you have so impudently bid defiance to." One of the rabbin says that the meaning of this is, That God will raise up a righteous King, to set things in order, even the king Messiah.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
"Then," when the ungodly utter such blasphemies against God, the godly hold mutual converse, defending God's righteous dealings against those blasphemers (Heb 3:13). The "often" of English Version is not in the Hebrew.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then they that feared the Lord spake often among themselves - The proud-speaking of the ungodly called out the piety of the God-fearing. “The more the ungodly spake against God, the more these spake among themselves for God.” Both went on until the Great Day of severance. True, as those said, the distinction between righteous and wicked was not made yet, but it was stored up out of sight. They “spake among themselves,” strengthening each other against the ungodly sayings of the ungodly. And the Lord hearkened and heard it - God, whom these thought an idle looker-on, or regardless, all the while (to speak after the manner of men) was “bending the ear” from heaven “and heard.” Not one pious loyal word for Him and His glory, escaped Him. And a book of remembrance was written before Him - Kings had their chronicles written wherein people’s good or ill deeds toward them were recorded. But the image is one of the oldest in Scripture, and in the self-same words , “the Lord said to Moses, Write this, a memorial in a book.” God can only speak to us in our own language. One expression is not more human than another, since all are so. Since with God all things are present, and memory relates to the past, to speak of God as “remembering” is as imperfect an expression in regard to God, as to speak of “a book.” , “Forgetfulness hath no place with God, because He is in no way changed; nor remembrance, because He forgetteth not.” Both expressions are used, only to picture vividly to our minds, that our deeds are present with God, for good or for evil; and in the Day of Judgment He will make them manifest to men and angels, as though read out of a book, and will requite them. […]
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אָ֧ז | ʾaz | then | H227 → | |
| נִדְבְּר֛וּ | nidberu | they spoke together | H1696 → | |
| יִרְאֵ֥י | yirei | [those] fearing | H3373 → | 64 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | <of> Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| רֵעֵ֑הוּ | reehu | neighbor his | H7453 → | |
| וַיַּקְשֵׁ֤ב | vaiyakshev | and he paid attention | H7181 → | |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיִּשְׁמָ֔ע | vaiyishma' | and he listened | H8085 → | |
| וַ֠יִּכָּתֵב | vaiyikatev | and it was written | H3789 → | |
| סֵ֣פֶר | sefer | a document of | H5612 → | |
| זִכָּר֤וֹן | zikaron | remembrance | H2146 → | |
| לְפָנָיו֙ | lefanav | <to> before him | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| לְיִרְאֵ֣י | leyirei | of [those] fearing | H3373 → | 64 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | <of> Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וּלְחֹשְׁבֵ֖י | ulechoshevei | and of [those who] esteemed | H2803 → | |
| שְׁמֽוֹ׃ | shemo | <of> name his | H8034 → | 864 times |
אָ֧זthen
ʾazH227 →
נִדְבְּר֛וּthey spoke together
nidberuH1696 →
יִרְאֵ֥י[those] fearing
yireiH3373 →64 times
יְהוָ֖ה<of> Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אִ֣ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
רֵעֵ֑הוּneighbor his
reehuH7453 →
וַיַּקְשֵׁ֤בand he paid attention
vaiyakshevH7181 →
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיִּשְׁמָ֔עand he listened
vaiyishma'H8085 →
וַ֠יִּכָּתֵבand it was written
vaiyikatevH3789 →
סֵ֣פֶרa document of
seferH5612 →
זִכָּר֤וֹןremembrance
zikaronH2146 →
לְפָנָיו֙<to> before him
lefanavH6440 →2123 times
לְיִרְאֵ֣יof [those] fearing
leyireiH3373 →64 times
יְהוָ֔ה<of> Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וּלְחֹשְׁבֵ֖יand of [those who] esteemed
ulechosheveiH2803 →
שְׁמֽוֹ׃<of> name his
shemoH8034 →864 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
Isaiah 26:3You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
it leads to
- Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
- John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”
- John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
- Jeremiah 17:7–8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.
- Psalms 9:10
Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
- Philippians 4:7
Through
Malachi 4:2“But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 33:6
Nevertheless, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal its people and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.
- Psalms 84:11
For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.
- Jeremiah 33:6
Through
Revelation 15:4Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
it leads to
- Psalms 86:9
All the nations You have made will come and bow before You, O Lord, and they will glorify Your name.
- Psalms 86:9
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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 on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, TO HIS WIFE 1:4.