Malachi 3:1

“Look, I am sending my messenger, and he will clear the way before me; and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Look, he is coming, says YHWH Tsevaot.”

Malachi 3:1 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

1

Quotation · Matthew 11:10

Go to Matthew 11:10

The second half of the quotation, “who will prepare your way,” matches Malachi 3:1 (“he will clear the way before me”); the first, Exodus 23:20.

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (Matthew 11:10)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: οὗτός ἐστιν περὶ οὗ γέγραπται Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου

Hebrew (Masoretic text): הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי וּפִנָּה דֶרֶךְ לְפָנָי וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל הֵיכָלוֹ הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים וּמַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים הִנֵּה בָא אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת

Septuagint (Malachi 3:1 in the Septuagint numbering): Ἰδοὺ ἐξαποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου, καὶ ἐπιβλέψεται ὁδὸν πρὸ προσώπου μου, καὶ ἐξέφνης ἤξει εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἑαυτοῦ κύριος ὃν ὑμεῖς ζητεῖτε, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς διαθήκης ὃν ὑμεῖς θέλετε· ἱδου ἔρχεται, λέγει Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ.

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 3 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Quotation · Mark 1:2

Go to Mark 1:2

The second half of the quotation, “who will prepare your way,” matches Malachi 3:1 (“he will clear the way before me”); the first, Exodus 23:20.

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (Mark 1:2)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: Καθὼς γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Ἠσαΐᾳ τῷ προφήτῃ Ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου

Hebrew (Masoretic text): הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי וּפִנָּה דֶרֶךְ לְפָנָי וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל הֵיכָלוֹ הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים וּמַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים הִנֵּה בָא אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת

Septuagint (Malachi 3:1 in the Septuagint numbering): Ἰδοὺ ἐξαποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου, καὶ ἐπιβλέψεται ὁδὸν πρὸ προσώπου μου, καὶ ἐξέφνης ἤξει εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἑαυτοῦ κύριος ὃν ὑμεῖς ζητεῖτε, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς διαθήκης ὃν ὑμεῖς θέλετε· ἱδου ἔρχεται, λέγει Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ.

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 3 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Quotation · Luke 7:27

Go to Luke 7:27

The second half of the quotation, “who will prepare your way,” matches Malachi 3:1 (“he will clear the way before me”); the first, Exodus 23:20.

Formula: γέγραπται “it is written” (Luke 7:27)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: οὗτός ἐστιν περὶ οὗ γέγραπται Ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου πρὸ προσώπου σου ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔμπροσθέν σου

Hebrew (Masoretic text): הִנְנִי שֹׁלֵחַ מַלְאָכִי וּפִנָּה דֶרֶךְ לְפָנָי וּפִתְאֹם יָבוֹא אֶל הֵיכָלוֹ הָאָדוֹן אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם מְבַקְשִׁים וּמַלְאַךְ הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חֲפֵצִים הִנֵּה בָא אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת

Septuagint (Malachi 3:1 in the Septuagint numbering): Ἰδοὺ ἐξαποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν μου, καὶ ἐπιβλέψεται ὁδὸν πρὸ προσώπου μου, καὶ ἐξέφνης ἤξει εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἑαυτοῦ κύριος ὃν ὑμεῖς ζητεῖτε, καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς διαθήκης ὃν ὑμεῖς θέλετε· ἱδου ἔρχεται, λέγει Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ.

In the Septuagint verse that most resembles it, at most 3 consecutive words match the Greek of the NT. The transcription has reading errors, so a match may not show.

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Malachi 3:1, word by word

am sendingשֹׁלֵחַsholeach

send

To send someone or something.

Where else “sholeach” appears
my messengerמַלְאָכִmalachi

messenger

Someone sent on an errand.

Where else “malachi” appears
and he will clearפִנָּהfina

clear

To clear a place for someone about to come in.

Where else “fina” appears
the wayדֶרֶךְderech

road

The track or route by which one goes from one place to another.

Where else “derech” appears
before meפָנָfana

before

Literally "to the face of": in sight of someone, or on account of something.

Where else “fana” appears
and suddenlyפִתְאֹםfitom

suddenly

Suddenly, in an instant.

Where else “fitom” appears
the Lordאָדוֹןadon

Lord

The Lord, said of God.

Where else “adon” appears
seekמְבַקְשִׁיםmevakshim

seek

To go after someone or something in order to find it.

Where else “mevakshim” appears
will comeיָבוֹאyavo

come

To come, arrive: "days are coming".

Where else “yavo” appears
his templeהֵיכָלhechal

temple

Literally "palace": YHWH's great house.

Where else “hechal” appears
of the covenantבְּרִיתberit

covenant

The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.

Where else “berit” appears
delightחֲפֵצִיםchafetsim

delighting in, desiring

Wanting, delighting in something; one who has pleasure in or desire for a thing.

Where else “chafetsim” appears
saysאָמַרamar

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “amar” appears
YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
Tsevaotצְבָאוֹתtsevaot

Tsevaot

A name of God: the one who commands the armies of heaven and earth.

Where else “tsevaot” appears

Translation note

“My messenger” is in Hebrew malakhi, like the name of the prophet (1:1). Jesus applies this verse to John the Immerser (Matthew 11:10; Luke 7:27), and Mark 1:2 quotes it when introducing him. “The Lord” translates ha-Adon, a title given to God elsewhere (Exodus 23:17; Isaiah 1:24); it is distinct from the name YHWH.

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Matthew 11:10

The second half of the quotation, “who will prepare your way,” matches Malachi 3:1 (“he will clear the way before me”); the first, Exodus 23:20.

See them side by side

Malachi 3:1

1Look, I am sending my messenger, and he will clear the way before me; and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Look, he is coming, says YHWH Tsevaot.

Matthew 11:10

10This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

Quotation · Mark 1:2

The second half of the quotation, “who will prepare your way,” matches Malachi 3:1 (“he will clear the way before me”); the first, Exodus 23:20.

See them side by side

Malachi 3:1

1Look, I am sending my messenger, and he will clear the way before me; and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Look, he is coming, says YHWH Tsevaot.

Mark 1:2

2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;

Quotation · Luke 7:27

The second half of the quotation, “who will prepare your way,” matches Malachi 3:1 (“he will clear the way before me”); the first, Exodus 23:20.

See them side by side

Malachi 3:1

1Look, I am sending my messenger, and he will clear the way before me; and suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Look, he is coming, says YHWH Tsevaot.

Luke 7:27

27This is the one about whom it is written: Look, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way ahead of you.

The context

1 · This verse (above)

2And who can endure the day of his coming? And who can stand when he appears? For he is like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of launderers.

Read all of Malachi 3

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