Malachi 3:8 - Exposition

Will a man rob God? The prophet shows the people how they have departed from God, in not keeping even the outward observances of religion. The word translated "rob," defraud, found also in Proverbs 22:23 , etc; is rendered in the Septuagint, πτερνιεῖ , "trip up," "supplant;" Vulgate, si affliget homo Deum, or, as St. Jerome first translated, " si affiget homo Deum ," and referred the words to the crucifixion of our Lord. In tithes and offerings. These were due to the Lord, and therefore in withholding them they were defrauding not man but God. (For tithe, see Le 27:30, etc.; Numbers 18:21 . See the complaint of Nehemiah, Nehemiah 13:10-12 .) The "offering" meant is the heave offering, the breast and shoulder of the peace offering, which were the priests' portion ( Exodus 29:27 ; Le Exodus 7:14 , 32-34; comp. Nehemiah 10:37-39 ).