¹tn In Hebrew the phrase “my messenger” is yk!a*l=m^ (mal’akhi), the same form as the prophet’s name (see note on the name “Malachi” in 1:1). However, here the messenger appears to be an eschatological figure who is about to come, as the following context suggests. According to 4:5, this messenger is “Elijah the prophet,” whom the NT identifies as John the Baptist (Matt 11:10; Mark 1:2) because he came in the “spirit and power” of Elijah (Matt 11:14; 17:11-12; Lk 1:17).
²tn Here the Hebrew term /oda*h* (ha’adon) is used, not hw`hy+ (y^ehvah, typically rendered Lord). Thus the focus is not on the Lord as the covenant God, but on his role as master.
³sn This messenger of the covenant may be equated with my messenger (that is, Elijah) mentioned earlier in the verse, or with the Lord himself. In either case the messenger functions as an enforcer of the covenant. Note the following verses, which depict purifying judgment on a people that has violated the Lord’s covenant.
⁴sn The refiner’s fire was used to purify metal and refine it by melting it and allowing the dross, which floated to the top, to be scooped off.
⁵tn Or “offerings.”
⁶map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
⁷tn The first person pronoun (a reference to the sovereign Lord) indicates that the Lord himself now speaks (see also v. 1). The prophet speaks in vv. 2-4 (see also 2:17).
⁸tn Heb “those who swear [oaths] falsely.”
⁹tn Heb “and against the oppressors of the worker for a wage, [the] widow and orphan.”
¹⁰tn Heb “those who turn aside.”
¹¹tn Or “resident alien.”
¹²tn Heb “do not change.” This refers to God’s ongoing commitment to his covenant promises to Israel.
¹³tn Heb “turned aside from.”
¹⁴tn Or “statutes.”
¹⁵tc The LXX presupposes an underlying Hebrew text of bq^u* (’aqav, “deceive”), a metathesis of ub^q* (qava’, “rob”), in all four uses of the verb here (vv. 8-9). The intent probably is to soften the impact of robbing God, but the language of the passage is intentionally bold and there is no reason to go against the reading of the MT.
¹⁶sn The tithes and contributions mentioned here are probably those used to sustain the Levites (see Num 18:8, 11, 19, 21-24).
¹⁷tn Heb “cursed with a curse” that is, under a curse.
¹⁸tn The phrase “is guilty” has been supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
¹⁹tn The Hebrew phrase rx*oah* tyB@ (bet ha’otsar, here translated “storehouse”) refers to a kind of temple warehouse described more fully in Nehemiah, which uses the term hl*odg+ hK*v=l! (lishkah g^edolah, “great chamber”), as a place for grain, frankincense, temple vessels, wine, and oil (Neh 13:5).
²⁰tn Heb “the eater” (lk@a), ’okhel), a general term for any kind of threat to crops and livelihood.
²¹tn Heb “and I will rebuke for you the eater and it will not ruin for you the fruit of the ground.”
²²tn Heb “will be.”
²³tn Heb “your words are hard [or “strong”] against me.”
²⁴tn Heb “What [is the] profit?”
²⁵sn The people’s public display of self-effacing piety has gone unrewarded by the Lord. The reason, of course, is that it was blatantly hypocritical.
²⁶tn Heb “built up.”
²⁷tn Or “test.”
²⁸tn Or “fear.”
²⁹tn Heb “heard and listened.”
³⁰sn The scroll mentioned here is a “memory book” (/orK*z] rp#s@, sefer zikkaron) in which the Lord keeps an ongoing record of the names of all the redeemed (see Exod 32:32; Isa 4:3; Dan 12:1; Rev 20:12-15).
³¹sn The Hebrew word hL*g%s= (s^egullah, “special property”) is a technical term referring to all the recipients of God’s redemptive grace, especially Israel (Exod 19:5; Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:18). The Lord says here that he will not forget even one individual in the day of judgment and reward.
³²tn Heb “you will see between.”