The Meaning of Malachi 2:13 Explained

Malachi 2:13

KJV: And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

YLT: And this a second time ye do, Covering with tears the altar of Jehovah, With weeping and groaning, Because there is no more turning unto the present, Or receiving of a pleasing thing from your hand.

Darby: And further ye do this: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the oblation any more, nor receiveth it with satisfaction at your hand.

ASV: And this again ye do: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, neither receiveth it with good will at your hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And this have ye done  again,  covering  the altar  of the LORD  with tears,  with weeping,  and with crying out,  insomuch that he regardeth  not the offering  any more, or receiveth  [it] with good will  at your hand. 

What does Malachi 2:13 Mean?

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 In answer to the argument of the Jews, who demanded a plurality of wives, Malachi says that God originally made only one woman for one man, though He could have made many.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 2:13 mean?

And this [is] the second [thing] you do You cover with tears - the altar of Yahweh with weeping and groaning not anymore so He does regard unto the offering nor receive [it] with goodwill from your hands
וְזֹאת֙ שֵׁנִ֣ית תַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּסּ֤וֹת דִּמְעָה֙ אֶת־ מִזְבַּ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה בְּכִ֖י וַֽאֲנָקָ֑ה מֵאֵ֣ין ע֗וֹד פְּנוֹת֙ אֶל־ הַמִּנְחָ֔ה וְלָקַ֥חַת רָצ֖וֹן מִיֶּדְכֶֽם

וְזֹאת֙  And  this  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
שֵׁנִ֣ית  the  second  [thing] 
Parse: Number, ordinal feminine singular
Root: שֵׁנִי  
Sense: second.
תַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּ  you  do 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כַּסּ֤וֹת  You  cover 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: כָּסָה  
Sense: to cover, conceal, hide.
דִּמְעָה֙  with  tears 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דִּמְעָה  
Sense: tears.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִזְבַּ֣ח  the  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּכִ֖י  with  weeping 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּכִי  
Sense: a weeping, weeping.
וַֽאֲנָקָ֑ה  and  groaning 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲנָקָה  
Sense: crying, groaning, lamentation.
ע֗וֹד  anymore 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עֹוד  
Sense: a going round, continuance adv.
פְּנוֹת֙  so  He  does  regard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַמִּנְחָ֔ה  the  offering 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וְלָקַ֥חַת  nor  receive  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
רָצ֖וֹן  with  goodwill 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רָצֹון  
Sense: pleasure, delight, favour, goodwill, acceptance, will.
מִיֶּדְכֶֽם  from  your  hands 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.