Malachi 2:16 NIV

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Malachi 2:10-16

Divorces and mixed marriages (2:10-16)Marriage disorders were a further cause of Israel’s troubles. Many Jewish men had married idolatrous heathen women, and introduced idolatrous practices into the holy worship of God (cf. Ezra 9:1-2; Nehemiah 13:23-27). Not only did these Jewish men marry idol worshippers, but they divorced their Jewish wives to do so. They despised both the marriage covenant and the covenant God made with Israel at Sinai. God designed the covenant to promote family and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Malachi 2:16

For, &c. = For [as] hating putting away, hath Jehovah, Israel's God, spoken; and [as hating him that] hath carried violence concealed in his clothing, hath Jehovah Sabaioth spoken, therefore, &c. God = Heh. Elohim . App-4 . saith = hath said. that He hateth, &c. = I hate. putting away = divorce. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 24:1 ). with his garment. Compare Pas. Mal 73:6 ; Psalms 109:18 , Psalms 109:29 Proverbs 28:13 , Isaiah 30:1 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Malachi 2:16

"For I hate putting away, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, and him that covereth his garment with violence, saith Jehovah of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.""I hate putting away ..." God hates divorce. Our society loves divorce. The shameful acceptance of the wanton violation of the marriage covenant on the part of many today, to the extent of threatening even the holy institution of marriage itself, is a cruel, heartless, and brutal fact of our... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Malachi 2:15-16

Malachi 2:15-16. And did not he make one?— Houbigant renders the passage, And hath he made thee one flesh and one spirit with her? And what does he require but a godly seed, and that you may mutually keep your spirit, and not deal treacherously? &c. Malachi 2:16. For whoever putteth away his wife through hatred, saith the Lord, hideth iniquity in his garment: therefore, &c. Among the various interpretations of these words, this seems the most probable, says Lowth, that the prophet puts... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Malachi 2:16

16. putting away—that is, divorce. for one covereth violence with . . . garment—MAURER translates, "And (Jehovah hateth him who) covereth his garment (that is, his wife, in Arabic idiom; compare :-, 'He is to thee a covering of thy eyes'; the husband was so to the wife, and the wife to the husband; also Deuteronomy 22:30; Ruth 3:9; Ezekiel 16:8) with injury." The Hebrew favors "garment," being accusative of the thing covered. Compare with English Version, Psalms 73:6, "violence covereth them... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Malachi 2:15-16

C. Command: stop acting faithlessly 2:15b-16This "command" section begins and ends with commands not to break faith. Instruction to "take heed to your spirit" immediately precedes each of these commands. Two quotations from Yahweh lie within this envelope structure. These commands from Yahweh constitute the turning point in this second chiastic hortatory discourse (cf. Malachi 1:10). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Malachi 2:16

The Israelites were not to break their marriage covenants because the person who divorces his mate to marry an unbeliever brings disgrace upon himself. Divorcing for this reason constitutes covenant unfaithfulness, breaking a covenant entered into that God Himself witnessed (Malachi 2:14). As such, it is an ungodly thing to do since Yahweh is a covenant-keeping God; He keeps his promises. To break a covenant (a formal promise) is to do something that God Himself does not do.Divorcing for this... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Malachi 2:1-17

2The Degeneracy of the Priesthood1. A reminder to the priests that they are to blame for the laxity denounced in Malachi 1:13, Malachi 1:14. They are responsible for the offering of fit victims, which in some cases it was their duty to provide.3. I will corrupt your seed] RV ’I will rebuke the seed for your sake’; but the threat of a curse on the crops does not appear to be specially applicable to the priests. A very slight change in the Heb. which has been suggested, gives the admirable sense,... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Malachi 2:10-17

(10-17) The prophet now rebukes the two great sins of the nation at this time: (1) marriage with idolatresses; (2) divorce of the first (Israelitish) wife. He introduces this rebuke by a general statement, similar to that of Malachi 1:2. read more