2:8a

But you: These words contrast the priests of Malachi’s time with their ancestors. The behavior of these priests, as described in 2:8, was the opposite of the priests described in 2:5–6.

In 2:6 they

walked with me;

in 2:8 they

departed from the way.

Also, in 2:6 they

turned many from iniquity;

in 2:8 they

caused many to stumble.

the way: Here the way refers to the correct way to behave, the way the LORD told them to behave and perform their duties. Here it is described figuratively as if it were a path.

2:8b

your instruction has caused many to stumble: That is, “your teaching has caused many people to go astray” or “you teach people things that cause many to go astray.”

instruction: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as instruction is the same word that was used in 2:6a and 2:7b. In Malachi it usually refers to the priests’ duties in teaching the people about God’s law. However if the priests did not teach the truth about God’s law, the people would not obey him properly.

to stumble: This is a figurative expression which implies, “to depart from my commands.”

2:8c

You have violated the covenant of Levi: That is, you have spoilt/corrupted/broken the covenant that I made with Levi.

the covenant of Levi: This covenant also included Levi’s descendants.

2:8d

says the LORD of Hosts: See the note on 1:6e.

the LORD of Hosts: See the note on 1:4d and 1:6e. Translate this term in the same way here.

© 2007 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.