Malachi 3 · Verse 17

Malachi 3:17

And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Malachi 3:17, King James Version

Malachi 3:17 in other translations

BSB“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.
WEBThey shall be mine,” says the LORD of Armies, “my own possession in the day that I make. I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.
ASVAnd they shall be mine, saith Jehovah of hosts, even mine own possession, in the day that I make; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
YLTAnd they have been to Me, said Jehovah of Hosts, In the day that I am appointing--a peculiar treasure, And I have had pity on them, As one hath pity on his son who is serving him.
DARBYAnd they shall be unto me a peculiar treasure, saith Jehovah of hosts, in the day that I prepare; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
BBEAnd they will be mine, says the Lord, in the day when I make them my special property; and I will have mercy on them as a man has mercy on his son who is his servant.
WebsterAnd they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

What does Malachi 3:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Malachi 3:13-18

13-18. He notices the complaint of the Jews that it is of no profit to serve Jehovah, for that the ungodly proud are happy; and declares He will soon bring the day when it shall be known that He puts an everlasting distinction between the godly and the ungodly. words ... stout--Hebrew, "hard"; so "the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him" (Jude 15) [Henderson]. have we spoken--The Hebrew…

Read the full comment on Malachi 3:13-18 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 They shall be mine - I will acknowledge them as my subjects and followers; in the day, especially, when I come to punish the wicked and reward the righteous. When I make up my jewels - סגלה segullah, my peculium, my proper treasure; that which is a man's own, and most prized by him. Not jewels; for in no part of the Bible does the word mean a gem or precious stone of any kind. The interpretations frequently given of the word in this verse, comparing saints to jewels, are forced and false. I will spare them - When I come to visit the wicked, I will take care of them. I will act towards them as a tender father would act towards his most loving and obedient son.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Malachi 3:13-18

Among the Jews at this time, some plainly discovered themselves to be children of the wicked one. The yoke of Christ is easy. But those who work wickedness, tempt God by presumptuous sins. Judge of things as they will appear when the doom of these proud sinners comes to be executed. Those that feared the Lord, spake kindly, for preserving and promoting mutual love, when sin thus abounded. They spake one to another…

Read the full comment on Malachi 3:13-18 →

Malachi 3:17 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.

וְהָ֣יוּve.Ha.yuand they will belongH1961
לִ֗יLito me
אָמַר֙'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otof hostsH6635
לַיּ֕וֹםlai.Yomto the dayH3117
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhenH834
אֲנִ֖י'a.NiIH589
עֹשֶׂ֣ה'o.Seh[will be] makingH6213
סְגֻלָּ֑הse.gu.Laha possessionH5459
וְחָמַלְתִּ֣יve.cha.mal.Tiand I will have compassionH2550
עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם'a.lei.Hemon themH5921
כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ka.'a.Sherjust asH834
יַחְמֹ֣לyach.Molhe has compassionH2550
אִ֔ישׁ'IsheveryoneH376
עַל\־'al-onH5921
בְּנ֖וֹbe.Noson hisH1121
הָעֹבֵ֥דha.'o.Vedwho servesH5647
אֹתֽוֹ\׃'o.To<obj.> himH853

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

Cross references for Malachi 3:17

  • Exodus 19:5

    Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

  • Deuteronomy 7:6

    For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:18

    And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

  • Isaiah 62:3-4

    Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzi–bah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

  • 1 Peter 2:9

    But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

  • Romans 8:32

    He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

  • Jeremiah 32:38-39

    And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

  • Deuteronomy 26:17-18

    Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments;

  • Jeremiah 31:33

    But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

  • Malachi 1:6

    A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

  • Psalms 135:4

    For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.

  • Deuteronomy 14:2

    For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they shall.
So 2:16; Jer 31:33; 32:38,39; Eze 16:8; 36:27,28; Zec 13:9
Joh 10:27-30; 17:9,10,24; 1Co 3:22,23; 6:20; 15:23; Ga 5:24
2Th 1:7-10; Re 20:12-15
jewels. or, special treasure.
Ex 19:5; De 7:6; 14:2; 26:17,18; Ps 135:4; Isa 62:3,4; Tit 2:14
1Pe 2:9
and I.
Ne 13:22; Ps 103:8-13; Isa 26:20,21; Jer 31:20; Zep 2:2; Mt 25:34
Ro 8:32; 2Co 6:18; 1Jo 3:1-3
son.
1:6; 1Pe 1:13-16

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

Context

  • Malachi 3:16

    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.

  • Malachi 3:17

    And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

  • Malachi 3:18

    Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

Read all of Malachi 3

Malachi 3:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y serán para mí especial tesoro, ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos, en el día que yo tengo de hacer: y perdonarélos como el hombre que perdona á su hijo que le sirve.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et ils seront à moi, mon trésor particulier, dit l’ Éternel des armées, au jour que je ferai; et je les épargnerai comme un homme épargne son fils qui le sert.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und sie werden mir, spricht Jehova der Heerscharen, zum Eigentum sein an dem Tage, den ich machen werde; und ich werde ihrer schonen, wie ein Mann seines Sohnes schont, der ihm dient.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et erunt mihi, ait Dominus exercituum, in die qua ego facio, in peculium: et parcam eis, sicut parcit vir filio suo servienti sibi.