Malachi 2:14-16 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Malachi 2:10-17

Corrupt practices are the genuine fruit and product of corrupt principles; and the badness of men's hearts and lives is owing to some loose atheistical notions which they have got and which they govern themselves by. Now, in these verses, we have an instance of this; we here find men dealing falsely with one another, and it is because they think falsely of their God. Observe, I. How corrupt their practices were. In general, they dealt treacherously every man against his brother, Mal. 2:10. It... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:14

Yet ye say, Wherefore ?.... What is the meaning of the women covering the altar with tears? as if they knew not what was the reason of it, when they were so notoriously guilty of breach of covenant with them; which is an instance of their impudence, as Abarbinel observes: or, "if ye say, wherefore?" as the Targum and Kimchi interpret the words; should you say, what is the reason why the Lord will not regard nor receive our offerings? the answer is ready, Because the Lord hath been witness... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:15

And did not he make one ?.... That is, did not God make one man, and out of his rib one woman? did he not make man, male and female? did he not make one pair, one couple, only Adam and Eve, whom he joined together in marriage? or rather, did he not make one woman only, and brought her to Adam to be his wife? which shows that his intention and will were, that one man should have but one wife at a time; the contrary to which was the then present practice of the Jews: Yet had he the residue... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:16

For the Lord the God of Israel saith, that he hateth putting away ,.... The divorcing of wives; for though this was suffered because of the hardness of their hearts, it was not approved of by the Lord; nor was it from the beginning; and it was disagreeable, and even hateful to him, Matthew 19:8 in the margin of some Bibles the words are rendered, "if he hate her, put her away"; and so the Targum, "but if thou hatest her, put her away;' to which agree the Vulgate Latin, Septuagint, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:14

Ye say, Wherefore? - Is the Lord angry with us? Because ye have been witness of the contract made between the parties; and when the lawless husband divorced his wife, the wife of his youth, his companion, and the unite of his covenant, ye did not execute on him the discipline of the law. They kept their wives till they had passed their youth, and then put them away, that they might get young ones in their place. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:15

And did not he make one? - One of each kind, Adam and Eve. Yet had he the residue of the Spirit, he could have made millions of pairs, and inspired them all with living souls. Then wherefore one? He made one pair from whom all the rest might proceed, that he might have a holy offspring; that children being a marked property of one man and one woman, proper care might be taken that they should be brought up in the discipline of the Lord. Perhaps the holy or godly seed, אלהים זרע zera... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:16

For the Lord - hateth putting away - He abominates all such divorces, and him that makes them. Covereth violence with his garment - And he also notes those who frame idle excuses to cover the violence they have done to the wives of their youth, by putting them away, and taking others in their place, whom they now happen to like better, when their own wives have been worn down in domestic services. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:14

Verse 14 The Prophet tells us here as before how prone the priests were to make a clamor, and it is a very common thing with hypocrites immediately to set up a shield to cover their vices whenever they are reproved; and hence it appears, that men are in a manner fascinated by Satan, when they attain such hardness as to dare to answer God, and with obstreperous words to repel all warnings. Malachi has several times already used this mode of speaking; we may hence conclude, that the people had... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:15

Verse 15 There is in this verse some obscurity, and hence it has been that no interpreter has come to the meaning of the Prophet. The Rabbins almost all agree that Abraham is spoken of here. Were we to receive this view a two-fold meaning might be given. It may be an objection, — “Has not one done this?” that is, has not Abraham, who is the one father of the nations, given us an example? for he married many wives: and thus many explain the passage, as though the priests raised an objection and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:16

Verse 16 Here again the Prophet exaggerates the crime which the priests regarded as nothing; for he says, that they sinned more grievously than if they had repudiated their wives. We indeed know that repudiation, properly speaking, had never been allowed by God; for though it was not punished under the law, yet it was not permitted. (236) It was the same as with a magistrate, who is constrained to bear many things which he does not approve; for we cannot so deal with mankind as to restrain all... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Malachi 2:10-17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:16

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:14

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:15

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:16

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:15

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:16

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