Malachi 2:9

“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Yahweh addresses the Judah priesthood, reversing their standing because they abandoned His ways and showed favoritism in legal matters. This judgment occurs immediately after He declares they have violated the covenant of Levi and caused the people to stumble.

The words — נִבְזִים (niv.Zim) and שְׁפָלִים (she.fa.Lim) literally mean "despised" and "lowly," describing the public humiliation Yahweh imposes on the priests.

The thread — The text's warning against judicial favoritism matches Deuteronomy 1:17, and the threatened reversal of priestly honor parallels the judgment pronounced on Eli's house in 1 Samuel 2:30.

Why it lands — The verse states that leaders who distort the law for personal preference will be publicly degraded, and it requires readers to enforce standards impartially rather than elevating ritual over justice.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְגַם־ve./gam-and/ also אֲנִ֞י'a.NiI נָתַ֧תִּיna.Ta.tiI have made אֶתְכֶ֛ם'et./Khem<obj.>/ you נִבְזִ֥יםniv.Zimdespised וּשְׁפָלִ֖יםu./she.fa.Limand/ lowly לְכָל־le./kholto/ all הָעָ֑םha./'Amthe/ people כְּפִ֗יke./Fiaccording to/ [the] mouth of אֲשֶׁ֤ר'a.Sherthat אֵֽינְכֶם֙'ei.ne./Khemnot/ you שֹׁמְרִ֣יםsho.me.Rim[are] keeping אֶת־'et-<obj.>דְּרָכַ֔יde.ra.Kha/iways/ my וְנֹשְׂאִ֥יםve./no.se.'Imand/ [you are] lifting up פָּנִ֖יםpa.Nimfaces בַּתּוֹרָֽה׃ פba./to.Rahin <the>/ instruction

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

Deuteronomy 1:17 Show no partiality in judging; hear both small and great alike. Do not be intimidated by anyone, for judgment belongs to God. And bring to me any case too difficult for you, and I will hear it.”
1 Samuel 2:30 Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
Luke 11:42 Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.
1 Kings 22:28 But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”
Ezekiel 13:12 Surely when the wall has fallen, you will not be asked, ‘Where is the whitewash with which you covered it?’
Ezekiel 13:21 I will also tear off your veils and deliver My people from your hands, so that they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Micah 3:6 Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them.
Malachi 2:8 But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.
Matthew 5:33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows to the Lord.’
Matthew 5:43 You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘Hate your enemy.’