Malachi 2 · Verse 4

Malachi 2:4

And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 2:4, King James Version

Malachi 2:4 in other translations

BSBThen you will know that I have sent you this commandment so that My covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD of Hosts.
WEBYou will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says the LORD of Armies.
ASVAnd ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.
YLTAnd ye have known that I have sent unto you this charge, For My covenant being with Levi, Said Jehovah of Hosts.
DARBYAnd ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.
BBEAnd you will be certain that I have sent this order to you, so that it might be my agreement with Levi, says the Lord of armies.
WebsterAnd ye shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

What does Malachi 2:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. ye shall know--by bitter experience of consequences, that it was with this design I admonished you, in order "that My covenant with Levi might be" maintained; that is, that it was for your own good (which would be ensured by your maintaining the Levitical command) I admonished you, that ye should return to your duty [Maurer] (compare Mal 2:5, 6). Malachi's function was that of a reformer, leading back the priests and people to the law (Mal 4:4).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 This commandment - That in the first verse; to drive such priests from his presence and his service. That my covenant might be with Levi - I gave the priesthood and the service of my altar to that tribe.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Malachi 2:1-9

What is here said of the covenant of priesthood, is true of the covenant of grace made with all believers, as spiritual priests. It is a covenant of life and peace; it assures all believers of all happiness, both in this world and in that to come. It is an honour to God's servants to be employed as his messengers. The priest's lips should not keep knowledge from his people, but keep it for them. The people are all…

Read the full comment on Malachi 2:1-9 →

Malachi 2:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕םvi.da'.Temand you will knowH3045
כִּ֚יkithatH3588
שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּיshi.Lach.tiI have sentH7971
אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם'a.lei.Khemto youH413
אֵ֖ת'et<obj.>H853
הַמִּצְוָ֣הha.mitz.Vahthe commandmentH4687
הַזֹּ֑אתha.Zot<the> thisH2063
לִֽהְי֤וֹתlih.Yotto beH1961
בְּרִיתִי֙be.ri.Ticovenant myH1285
אֶת\־'et-withH854
לֵוִ֔יle.ViLeviH3878
אָמַ֖ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָאֽוֹת\׃tze.va.'otof hostsH6635

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Malachi 2:4

  • Numbers 3:12

    And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;

  • Ezekiel 38:23

    Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 44:9-16

    Thus saith the Lord God; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger that is among the children of Israel. And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall even bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister unto them. Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up mine hand against them, saith the Lord God, and they shall bear their iniquity. …

  • Luke 10:11

    Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

  • Matthew 3:12

    Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

  • John 15:2

    Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

  • Jeremiah 28:9

    The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.

  • Nehemiah 13:29

    Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

  • 1 Kings 22:25

    And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

  • Isaiah 26:11

    Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

  • Isaiah 1:24-28

    Therefore saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies: And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful city. Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. …

  • Isaiah 27:9

    By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and images shall not stand up.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
ye.
1Ki 22:25; Isa 26:11; Jer 28:9; Eze 33:33; 38:23; Lu 10:11
that my.
Isa 1:24-28; 27:9; Eze 20:38-41; 44:9-16; Mt 3:12; Joh 15:2

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Malachi 2:3

    Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

  • Malachi 2:4

    And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Malachi 2:5

    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.

Read all of Malachi 2

Malachi 2:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y sabréis que yo os envié este mandamiento, para que fuese mi pacto con Leví, ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et vous saurez que je vous ai envoyé ce commandement, afin que mon alliance subsiste avec Lévi, dit l’ Éternel des armées.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und ihr werdet wissen daß ich dieses Gebot an euch gesandt habe, damit mein Bund mit Levi sei, spricht Jehova der Heerscharen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et scietis quia misi ad vos mandatum istud, ut esset pactum meum cum Levi, dicit Dominus exercituum.