The Meaning of Malachi 3:10 Explained

Malachi 3:10

KJV: Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

YLT: Bring in all the tithe unto the treasure-house, And there is food in My house; When ye have tried Me, now, with this, Said Jehovah of Hosts, Do not I open to you the windows of heaven? Yea, I have emptied on you a blessing till there is no space.

Darby: Bring the whole tithe into the treasure-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I open not to you the windows of the heavens, and pour you out a blessing, till there be no place for it.

ASV: Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it .

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Bring  ye all the tithes  into the storehouse,  that there may be meat  in mine house,  and prove  me now herewith,  saith  the LORD  of hosts,  if I will not open  you the windows  of heaven,  and pour you out  a blessing,  that [there shall] not [be room] enough  [to receive it]. 

What does Malachi 3:10 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Lord had promised to bless the Israelites for obedience, so their obedience in bringing the full amount of tithes that the Law required would test (i.e, prove, demonstrate) His faithfulness to His promise. He promised to reward their full obedience with rain and harvests abundant enough to satisfy their needs. His "storehouse" of blessings for them was full.
This verse has often been used to urge Christians to tithe. However, the New Covenant under which Christians live never specified the amount or percentage that we should give back to God of what He has given to us. Rather it teaches that we should give regularly, sacrificially, as the Lord has prospered us, and joyfully (cf. 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Philippians 4). In harmony with the principle of grace that marks the present dispensation, the Lord leaves the amount we give back to Him unspecified and up to us. Christians who sit under a steady diet of preaching that majors on God"s grace often give far more than10 percent. Since tithing preceded the giving of the Mosaic Covenant ( Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22), many Christians regard giving10 percent as our minimal responsibility. However, the examples of tithing that appear before the Mosaic Law are just that: examples, not commands (e.g, Genesis 14:20; Genesis 28:22). Examples are not binding on believers, but precepts (commands) are. Another example of this is the early Jerusalem Christians practicing communal living ( Acts 2:44). Few people would say that this practice is binding on all Christians today.
This verse has also been used to teach "storehouse giving." Those who do so view the church building, or the church congregation, as the storehouse into which Christians should bring their gifts to the Lord. Some go so far as to say that it is wrong for Christians to give to the Lord in ways that bypass the local church, for example, giving directly to a missionary.
This viewpoint fails to appreciate the difference between Israel"s temple and Christian churches. Israel"s temple was a depository for the gifts that the Israelites brought to sustain the servants and work of the Lord throughout their nation. The Christian church, however, is different in that we have no central sanctuary, as Israel did, nor does the church have a national homeland. Christians live and serve throughout the world in contrast to the Israelites who were to fulfill their mission by serving God within their land. God told the Israelites to stay in the land and let their light shine from there ( Exodus 19:5-6), but He has told Christians to go into all the world and let our light shine there ( Matthew 28:19-20). Some Christians believe that each local church is a microcosm of Israel, so we should regard our church as Israel regarded its temple. Most Christians believe the church is not limited to a collection of local churches but includes the whole universal body of Christ ( Ephesians 1; Ephesians 4). The whole is greater than any of its parts and even all its parts.

Context Summary

Malachi 3:1-12 - A Purging From Evil
The opening verses of this chapter stir the heart like the call of a trumpet. We remember how literally they were fulfilled in the presentation of our Lord in the Temple by His parents. Unnoticed by the crowds, jostled amid the press, borne in the arms of poverty, the King suddenly came to His Temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant. Only two faithful retainers, Simeon and Anna, were there to welcome Him. But there is another and more personal reference. Let us keep the doors of our hearts wide open to the coming of the King. There may be no blare of trumpet, no flash of jewel, no cry of herald, but into your heart's secret shrine He will come. Is not this just what we need? Make haste, great Lord of all, and in our poor hearts do thy blessed work, that we may be refined as gold and silver, and offer to thee an offering in righteousness. Then will it be a delight to bring all the tithes into the storehouse. [source]

Chapter Summary: Malachi 3

1  Of the messenger, majesty, and grace of Christ
7  Of the rebellion,
8  sacrilege,
13  and infidelity of the people
16  The promise of blessing to those who fear God

What do the individual words in Malachi 3:10 mean?

Bring - all the tithes into in My house the storehouse that there may be food in My house and try Me now in this says Yahweh of hosts if not I will open for you - the windows of heaven and pour out for you [such] blessing that [there will] not [be room] enough [to receive it]
הָבִ֨יאוּ אֶת־ כָּל־ הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֜ר אֶל־ בֵּ֣ית הָאוֹצָ֗ר וִיהִ֥י טֶ֙רֶף֙ בְּבֵיתִ֔י וּבְחָנ֤וּנִי נָא֙ בָּזֹ֔את אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת אִם־ לֹ֧א אֶפְתַּ֣ח לָכֶ֗ם אֵ֚ת אֲרֻבּ֣וֹת הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י לָכֶ֛ם בְּרָכָ֖ה עַד־ בְּלִי־ דָֽי

הָבִ֨יאוּ  Bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
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.
הַֽמַּעֲשֵׂ֜ר  the  tithes 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֵׂר  
Sense: tithe, tenth part.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֵּ֣ית  in  My  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָאוֹצָ֗ר  the  storehouse 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֹוצָר  
Sense: treasure, storehouse.
וִיהִ֥י  that  there  may  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
טֶ֙רֶף֙  food 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טֶרֶף  
Sense: prey, food, leaf.
בְּבֵיתִ֔י  in  My  house 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּבְחָנ֤וּנִי  and  try  Me 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural, first person common singular
Root: בָּחַן  
Sense: to examine, try, prove.
נָא֙  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
בָּזֹ֔את  in  this 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.
אָמַ֖ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֑וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֶפְתַּ֣ח  I  will  open 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
לָכֶ֗ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲרֻבּ֣וֹת  the  windows 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: אֲרֻבָּה  
Sense: lattice, window, sluice.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  of  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וַהֲרִיקֹתִ֥י  and  pour  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: רִיק  
Sense: to make empty, empty out.
לָכֶ֛ם  for  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
בְּרָכָ֖ה  [such]  blessing 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
עַד־  that 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
בְּלִי־  [there  will]  not 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּלִי 
Sense: wearing out adv of negation.
דָֽי  [be  room]  enough  [to  receive  it] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּדֵי 
Sense: sufficiency, enough.