KJV King James Version
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
VERSE STUDY • KJV
Malachi 2:7
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
Read it in 5 translations
BSB Berean Standard Bible
For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
WEB World English Bible
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies.
ASV American Standard Version
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.
YLT Young’s Literal Translation
For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge, And law they do seek from his mouth, For a messenger of Jehovah of Hosts he is.
Surrounding context — Malachi 2
4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him [for] the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.
7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.
9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Topics connected to this verse
Original-language word links
These Hebrew/Greek tokens are linked by Strong's number. Click one for its lexicon definition and other occurrences.
כִּֽי־H3588 · kiforשִׂפְתֵ֤יH8193 · sa.phahlipsכֹהֵן֙H3548 · ko.henpriestיִשְׁמְרוּ־H8104 · sha.marto keep: obeyדַ֔עַתH1847 · da.atknowledgeוְתוֹרָ֖הH8451 · to.rahinstructionיְבַקְשׁ֣וּH1245 · ba.qashto seekמִפִּ֑יהוּH6310 · pehlipכִּ֛יH3588 · kiforמַלְאַ֥ךְH4397 · ma.le.akhmessengerיְהוָֽה־H3068 · ye.ho.vahLORDצְבָא֖וֹתH6635 · tsa.vaarmyהֽוּא׃H1931 · huhe/she/it
Cross-references
2 Timothy 2:24-25And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient,Leviticus 10:11And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.Deuteronomy 21:5And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be [tried]:2 Corinthians 5:20Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.John 20:21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as [my] Father hath sent me, even so send I you.Ezra 7:10For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do [it], and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.Acts 16:17The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.1 Thessalonians 4:8He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.John 13:20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.2 Chronicles 30:22And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.Nehemiah 8:2-8And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.Isaiah 44:26That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:2 Chronicles 17:8-9And with them [he sent] Levites, [even] Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.Haggai 2:11-13Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests [concerning] the law, saying,Jeremiah 15:19Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, [and] thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.Haggai 1:13Then spake Haggai the LORD’S messenger in the LORD’S message unto the people, saying, I [am] with you, saith the LORD.Deuteronomy 24:8Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, [so] ye shall observe to do.Malachi 3:1Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION
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