The Meaning of Malachi 2:4 Explained

Malachi 2:4

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

YLT: And ye have known that I have sent unto you this charge, For My covenant being with Levi, Said Jehovah of Hosts.

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

ASV: And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Malachi 2:4 Mean?

Verse Meaning

When these things happened, the priests would know that this warning had indeed come from the Lord. Its intent was to purify the priests so God"s covenant with Levi could continue (cf. Malachi 3:3). This is the first of six explicit references to "covenant" in Malachi. The covenants in view are God"s covenant with Levi ( Malachi 2:4-5; Malachi 2:8), the Mosaic Covenant ( Malachi 2:10), the marriage covenant ( Malachi 2:14), and the New Covenant ( Malachi 3:1). God had promised a continuing line of priests from Levi"s branch of the Chosen People ( Deuteronomy 33:8-11; cf. Exodus 32:25-29; Numbers 3:12; Numbers 25:10-13; Nehemiah 13:29; Jeremiah 33:21-22). [1]

Context Summary

Malachi 2:1-17 - The Transgression Of The Covenant
As a contrast to the disgraceful attitude which the prophet had described as characteristic of the priesthood, he paints the picture of the noble priest, whose burning zeal for God's honor averted evil and punishment from the people. It is desirable that each servant of God should seek to exemplify these traits of character, for it is only they who walk with God in peace and equity who can turn away "many from iniquity." The prophet reproves those who had put away their Jewish wives and had contracted marriage with foreigners. In doing this they had ignored the fact that God was the Father of the Hebrew race, of the women as well as the men, in an especial sense in which He was not the Father of the heathen. In answer to the argument of the Jews, who demanded a plurality of wives, Malachi says that God originally made only one woman for one man, though He could have made many. It was a sin, therefore, against the original constitution of the race for a man to have more than one wife, and this is the argument that our Lord employed in Matthew 19:4. The one man for the one woman is the secret of a happy home-life and of a godly seed. [source]

Chapter Summary: Malachi 2

1  He sharply reproves the priests for neglecting their covenant;
10  and the people for marrying strange wives;
13  and for putting away their former ones,
17  and for infidelity

What do the individual words in Malachi 2:4 mean?

Then you shall know that I have sent to you - commandment this that may continue My covenant with Levi says Yahweh of hosts
וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֚י שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את לִֽהְי֤וֹת בְּרִיתִי֙ אֶת־ לֵוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת

וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם  Then  you  shall  know 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
כִּ֚י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי  I  have  sent 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמִּצְוָ֣ה  commandment 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
הַזֹּ֑את  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
לִֽהְי֤וֹת  that  may  continue 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְּרִיתִי֙  My  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
לֵוִ֔י  Levi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֵוִי 
Sense: the 3rd son of Jacob by Leah and progenitor of tribe of Levites.
אָמַ֖ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֥ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָאֽוֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.