The Meaning of Malachi 3:5 Explained

Malachi 3:5

KJV: And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

YLT: And I have drawn near to you for judgment, And I have been a witness, Making haste against sorcerers, And against adulterers, And against swearers to a falsehood, And against oppressors of the hire of an hireling, Of a widow, and of a fatherless one, And those turning aside a sojourner, And who fear Me not, said Jehovah of Hosts.

Darby: And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hired servant in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.

ASV: And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against the false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the sojourner from his right , and fear not me, saith Jehovah of hosts.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will come near  to you to judgment;  and I will be a swift  witness  against the sorcerers,  and against the adulterers,  and against false  swearers,  and against those that oppress  the hireling  in [his] wages,  the widow,  and the fatherless,  and that turn aside  the stranger  [from his right], and fear  not me, saith  the LORD  of hosts. 

What does Malachi 3:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

At that time the Lord assured His people that He would draw near to them, but it would be for judgment. He would quickly judge all types of sin that they practiced, whereas in Malachi"s day, and now, He waits to judge (cf. 2 Peter 3:9-10). The Levites would not be the only Jews He judged; all the Israelites living then would come under His judgment (cf. Ezekiel 20:34-38). He would judge them for all types of activity forbidden for His people: sorcery; adultery; lying; oppression of employees, widows, and orphans; mistreatment of aliens; even all forms of irreverence for Him. This was His answer to their claim that He was unjust ( Malachi 2:17).

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 3:5 mean?

And I will come near you for judgment and I will be witness a swift Against sorcerers and Against adulterers and Against perjurers and Against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans and against those who turn away a sojourner and because not they do fear Me says Yahweh of hosts
וְקָרַבְתִּ֣י אֲלֵיכֶם֮ לַמִּשְׁפָּט֒ וְהָיִ֣יתִי ׀ עֵ֣ד מְמַהֵ֗ר בַּֽמְכַשְּׁפִים֙ וּבַמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים לַשָּׁ֑קֶר וּבְעֹשְׁקֵ֣י שְׂכַר־ שָׂ֠כִיר אַלְמָנָ֨ה וְיָת֤וֹם וּמַטֵּי־ גֵר֙ וְלֹ֣א יְרֵא֔וּנִי אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת

וְקָרַבְתִּ֣י  And  I  will  come  near 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרַב  
Sense: to come near, approach, enter into, draw near.
לַמִּשְׁפָּט֒  for  judgment 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וְהָיִ֣יתִי ׀  and  I  will  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
עֵ֣ד  witness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵד  
Sense: witness.
מְמַהֵ֗ר  a  swift 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: מָהַר  
Sense: (Qal) to hasten.
בַּֽמְכַשְּׁפִים֙  Against  sorcerers 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: כָּשַׁף  
Sense: (Piel) to practice witchcraft or sorcery, use witchcraft.
וּבַמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים  and  Against  adulterers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָאַף  
Sense: to commit adultery.
וּבַנִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים  and  Against 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: שָׁבַע  
Sense: to swear, adjure.
לַשָּׁ֑קֶר  perjurers 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁקֶר  
Sense: lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood.
וּבְעֹשְׁקֵ֣י  and  Against  those  who  exploit 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: עָשַׁק  
Sense: to press upon, oppress, violate, defraud, do violence, get deceitfully, wrong, extort.
שְׂכַר־  wage 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שָׂכָר  
Sense: hire, wages.
שָׂ֠כִיר  earners 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: שָׂכִיר  
Sense: hired.
אַלְמָנָ֨ה  and  widows 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַלְמָנָה  
Sense: widow.
וְיָת֤וֹם  and  orphans 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָתֹום  
Sense: an orphan, fatherless.
וּמַטֵּי־  and  against  those  who  turn  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: נָטָה 
Sense: to stretch out, extend, spread out, pitch, turn, pervert, incline, bend, bow.
גֵר֙  a  sojourner 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּר  
Sense: sojourner.
וְלֹ֣א  and  because  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יְרֵא֔וּנִי  they  do  fear  Me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural, first person common singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
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.