2:14
you…you…your…you…: The first you in this verse translates a plural form in Hebrew. As in 2:13, this form refers to the people of Israel. However the other forms which the Berean Standard Bible translates as you in 2:14 are singular. They refer to each individual man who had been unfaithful. The Display indicates this by the phrase “each of you” in 2:14b.
2:14a
Why?: That is, why does the LORD not accept our sacrifices?
2:14b
witness: The text does not specify exactly how the LORD was a witness between a person and the wife of his youth. The most likely meaning is that the LORD was a witness to their covenant of marriage. Therefore the LORD was responsible to punish the men who broke their marriage covenants. He punished them by not accepting their offerings.
the wife of your youth: That is, the wife you married when you were young.
2:14c
you have broken faith: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as broken faith is the same one used in 2:10–11. It is the key term in this section. See the note on 2:10c. Husbands were being unfaithful to their wives. In this way, they were not keeping the promises they had made to their wives at their marriage.
2:14d
your companion: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as companion means here “a female companion in marriage.” It is a synonym of “wife.”
2:14e
covenant: The Hebrew word which the Berean Standard Bible translates as covenant is the same word used in 2:4b and 2:10d. This word is normally used in the Old Testament to refer to the relationship the LORD established at Sinai between himself and the people of Israel.
Here it refers to marriage and the promises which a man and woman make to be faithful to each other. In many languages it may be appropriate to use a word like “promise” or “vow” here. This may be better than the word used for the covenant between the LORD and the people of Israel.
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