The Meaning of Malachi 3:17 Explained

Malachi 3:17

KJV: 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.

YLT: And 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.

Darby: And 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.

ASV: And 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Malachi 3:17 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Almighty Yahweh announced that He would honor those who feared Him as His own on the day He prepared His own possessions. This probably refers to the day of the Lord (cf. Malachi 3:2; Malachi 4:1; Malachi 4:3) when He will resurrect Old Testament saints and judge them (cf. Daniel 12:2). This will be when Jesus Christ returns to rule and reign on the earth. The faithful will receive a reward in His kingdom for their submission ( Daniel 12:3). He also promised to spare them as a man spares his own son. When Jesus Christ judges Old Testament saints, He will separate the sheep from the goats ( Matthew 25:31-46). Here God described the sheep as His sons. He will spare them the humiliation and punishment that will be the lot of those who did not honor Him ( Malachi 3:14-15).

Context Summary

Malachi 3:13-18 - Wickedness And Pride Shall Find Judgment
The day cometh! either in the fall of Jerusalem or in some terrible catastrophe yet future. Whenever it comes may we be reckoned as God's peculiar treasure, preserved as a woman preserves her jewels in the day of calamity, Malachi 3:17. Sorrow and disaster are perpetually befalling the proud, or those that do wickedly; while on those who fear God's name the dawn of the sun of righteousness is forever breaking and growing to the perfect day. In the beams of the sun there are not only light and color, but rays which bear health and vitality to the world and to men; so in Jesus there is power to salvation. Notice how the Old Testament ends with the word curse, while the Christ's proclamation opens with Blessed.
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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 3:17 mean?

And they shall be Mine says Yahweh of hosts On the day that I make them My jewels and I will spare them as spares a man his own his own son who serves him
וְהָ֣יוּ לִ֗י אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת לַיּ֕וֹם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י עֹשֶׂ֣ה סְגֻלָּ֑ה וְחָמַלְתִּ֣י עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁר֙ יַחְמֹ֣ל אִ֔ישׁ עַל־ בְּנ֖וֹ הָעֹבֵ֥ד אֹתֽוֹ

וְהָ֣יוּ  And  they  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לִ֗י  Mine 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
אָמַר֙  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.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
לַיּ֕וֹם  On  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עֹשֶׂ֣ה  make  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
סְגֻלָּ֑ה  My  jewels 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: סְגֻלָּה  
Sense: possession, property.
וְחָמַלְתִּ֣י  and  I  will  spare 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: חָמַל 
Sense: (Qal) to spare, pity, have compassion on.
יַחְמֹ֣ל  spares 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָמַל 
Sense: (Qal) to spare, pity, have compassion on.
אִ֔ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
עַל־  his  own 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
בְּנ֖וֹ  his  own  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָעֹבֵ֥ד  who  serves 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָבַד  
Sense: to work, serve.