Malachi 2 · Verse 5

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.
Malachi 2:5, King James Version

Malachi 2:5 in other translations

BSB“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.
WEB“My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.
ASVMy 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.
YLTMy covenant hath been with him of life and of peace, And I make them to him a fear, and he doth fear Me, And because of My name he hath been affrighted.
DARBYMy covenant with him was of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and trembled before my name.
BBEMy agreement with him was on my side life and peace, and I gave them to him; on his side fear, and he had fear of me and gave honour to my name.
WebsterMy covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear with which he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

What does Malachi 2:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Malachi 2:5-9
5-9. He describes the promises, and also the conditions of the covenant; Levi's observance of the conditions and reward (compare Nu 25:11-13, Phinehas' zeal); and on the other hand the violation of the conditions, and consequent punishment of the present priests. "Life" here includes the perpetuity implied in Nu 25:13, "everlasting priesthood." "Peace" is specified both here and there. 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). The Jewish priests self-deceivingly claimed the privileges of the covenant, while neglecting the conditions of it, as if God were bound by it to bless them, while they were free from all the obligation which it imposed to serve Him. The covenant is said to be not merely "of life and peace," but "life and peace"; for the keeping of God's law is its own reward (Psa 19:11).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 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.

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 2:5 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.

בְּרִיתִ֣י\׀be.ri.Ticovenant myH1285
הָיְתָ֣הha.ye.Tahit wasH1961
אִתּ֗וֹ'i.Towith himH854
הַֽחַיִּים֙ha.chai.Yim<the> lifeH2416
וְהַ֨שָּׁל֔וֹםve.Ha.sha.Lomand <the> well-beingH7965
וָאֶתְּנֵֽם\־va.'e.te.nem-and I gave themH5414
ל֥וֹloto him
מוֹרָ֖אmo.Ra'fearH4172
וַיִּֽירָאֵ֑נִיvai.yi.ra.'E.niand he feared meH3372
וּמִפְּנֵ֥יu.mi.pe.Neiand <from> because ofH6440
שְׁמִ֖יshe.Miname myH8034
נִחַ֥תni.Chathe was in aweH2865
הֽוּא\׃Hu'heH1931

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

Cross references for Malachi 2:5

  • Numbers 25:12-13

    Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

  • Ezekiel 37:26

    Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

  • Ezekiel 34:25

    And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

  • Numbers 16:9-10

    Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?

  • Exodus 32:26-29

    Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

  • Numbers 18:8-24

    And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever. This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons. In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee. And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it. …

  • Psalms 106:30-31

    Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed. And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.

  • Numbers 3:45

    Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.

  • Numbers 8:15

    And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.

  • Deuteronomy 33:8-11

    And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. Bless, Lord, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
covenant.
Nu 3:45; 8:15; 16:9,10; 18:8-24; 25:12,13; De 33:8-10; Ps 106:30,31
Eze 34:25; 37:26
I gave.
Ex 32:26-29; De 33:8-11

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Malachi 2:6

    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.

Read all of Malachi 2

Malachi 2:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mi pacto fué con él de vida y de paz, las cuales cosas yo le dí por el temor; porque me temió, y delante de mi nombre estuvo humillado.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mon alliance avec lui était la vie et la paix, et je les lui donnai pour qu’il craigne; et il me craignit et trembla devant mon nom.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Mein Bund mit ihm war das Leben und der Friede; und ich gab sie ihm zur Furcht, und er fürchtete mich, und er, er zitterte vor meinem Namen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Pactum meum fuit cum eo vitæ et pacis: et dedi ei timorem, et timuit me, et a facie nominis mei pavebat.