Before examining the text, it is once more necessary to comment on punctuation, because Revised Standard Version is again odd in this respect. At the beginning of this verse, Revised Standard Version opens quotation marks that are not closed till the end of the book. Strictly, this suggests that the whole of 3.17–4.6 is a single speech, including the quotation formulas “says the LORD of hosts” in 3.17; 4.1 and 3. No other version has such confusing punctuation, and translators should definitely not follow Revised Standard Version in this matter. Many other versions treat the rest of the book from 3.17 on as direct speech, but they either put the quotation formulas outside the quotation marks (Moffatt, New International Version, Beck, New Living Translation) or restructure them in 4.1 and 3 into first person statements (Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). New American Standard Bible and New King James Version are broadly similar, except that they exclude 3.18 from the direct speech. A number of versions that use quotation marks in other contexts do not have any in this section. Since the Hebrew text does contain quotation formulas, and direct speech is certainly involved, it is confusing not to mark its limits clearly.
This Handbook recommends that translators should make their decisions about punctuation in the light of (1) the occurrences of quotation formulas in the Hebrew text, and (2) the discourse structure of the dispute. This sixth dispute extends from 3.13 to 4.3, and 4.4-6 may be regarded as a conclusion to the whole book. These last three verses are in the first person as words spoken by the LORD, even though no quotation formula occurs within them. It is therefore legitimate on translation grounds to identify the LORD as the speaker, probably at the beginning of 4.4 (see the comments on 4.4-6).
This approach leaves 3.17–4.3 as the other unit of direct speech. Within this unit the first quotation formula is probably best placed at the beginning of 3.17, and the third one at the end of 4.3 (so Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). This arrangement will show clearly the opening and closing of the unit. The second occurrence of the formula, in the middle of 4.1, is harder to handle well. The first words of 4.1 (“For behold” in Revised Standard Version) indicate both a logical link with 3.17-18 and the start of a new subunit, with the quotation formula probably marking a climax. In this case it may be best to do as Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch and Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente have done, and restructure the formula into a first person statement that becomes part of the direct speech. This will retain its function of marking a climax without breaking up the flow of thought through 3.17–4.3 as a single unit. For more details, see the comments on 4.1.
They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act: As noted above, it is probably best to move the quotation formula to the beginning of the verse (as do Contemporary English Version, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente). In that position, it could take a form like “The LORD Almighty declares…” (compare Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente).
The Hebrew grammar for They shall be mine … my special possession on the day when I act is awkward, because the word translated special possession is placed at the end of the clause. This makes it uncertain whether it is to be interpreted as qualifying mine (as in Revised Standard Version and most other versions) or as the object of the verb that Revised Standard Version translates I act. The second alternative seems more probable in the light of the Hebrew word order, but is represented only in King James Version, New King James Version , New American Standard Bible, and New International Version. New International Version for instance has “They will be mine … in the day when I make up my treasured possession.” Probably the reason why most versions have followed the same interpretation as Revised Standard Version is that the words on the day when I act occur also in 4.3, where there is no ambiguity. An expression like this probably has a discourse function when it occurs both near the beginning and near the end of an utterance, so it seems likely that it would have a similar meaning in both places.
Versions that adopt the same interpretation as Revised Standard Version still have to decide whether the day is or is not the object of the verb that Revised Standard Version renders as I act. Revised Standard Version has decided that it is not, and so uses the intransitive verb I act. Most other versions make a similar decision, but some treat the day as the object of the verb and so translate “the day that I appoint” (New English Bible/Revised English Bible) or “the day that I am preparing” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh; similarly Jerusalem Bible, Bible de Jérusalem, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). This interpretation seems somewhat preferable, both because the verb is usually transitive and because it fits well with the context of the paragraph, especially with the mention of the coming day in 4.1 (compare 3.2).
The Hebrew word that Revised Standard Version translates special possession is used of the LORD’s people in Exo 19.5; Deut 7.6; 14.2; 26.18 and Psa 135.4 (compare 1 Peter 2.9). In 1 Chr 29.3 and Eccl 2.8 (where Revised Standard Version has “treasure”), it is linked with material wealth such as gold and silver, and this is probably the basis for the rendering “jewels” in King James Version and New King James Version . Though this is vivid imagery, it is probably not the intention of the prophet. However, some versions catch this aspect of the word with renderings like “treasured possession” (New International Version, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), “prized possession” (Moffatt, New Jerusalem Bible), or “precious possession” (Beck). These may be helpful models in some languages. Good News Translation has only “they will be my very own.” This carries the basic meaning but loses the impact of the Hebrew. Translators should try to use a more forceful expression than this if possible.
I will spare them: The term spare in English, though used in many versions, is rather unfortunate because it suggests the idea of sparing someone’s life, and that is obviously not the meaning here. It would be clearer and more natural to say “I will be merciful to them” (Good News Translation), “I will be tender toward them” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), or “I will have compassion on them” (New American Bible; similarly Bible de Jérusalem). Other possibilities are “I will be gentle toward them” (Biblen: Det Gamle og Det Nye Testamente) and “I will be kind toward them” (Bible en français courant). The same Hebrew verb for spare occurred in a negative construction in Zech 11.5, where Revised Standard Version has “have no pity.”
As a man spares his son who serves him: The comparison of the LORD’s attitude toward those who are faithful toward him with the attitude of a father toward a dutiful son has echoes of the language of Exo 4.22-23. This is lost if the male terms are changed to “as parents spare their children” (New Revised Standard Version; similarly Contemporary English Version). The phrase who serves him probably looks back to “to serve God” in verse 14. There the context was of formal worship, whereas here the context is of obedient action. Thus Jerusalem Bible translates “who obeys him” (similarly Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). In many languages a different verb will be needed here from that used in verse 14.
A possible translation model for the whole verse is:
• The LORD Almighty says: “They will be my own valued possession [or, special people] on the day that I am appointing [or, preparing]. I will treat them tenderly, as a father treats an obedient son.”
Quoted with permission from Clark, David J. & Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Malachi. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2002. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .