Malachi 3:16

At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The LORD speaks in direct response to the people's accusation (v. 15) that evildoers prosper and escape. He turns from their complaint to identify a remnant who feared Him and honored His name.

The words — וַיַּקְשֵׁב (wayyaqshēb) from קשב means to incline the ear deliberately; it is focused, intentional attention, not passive hearing. The Niphal form נִדְבְּרוּ (nidbeRû) marks the speaking as reciprocal — they spoke with one another, not in isolation.

The thread — The "scroll of remembrance" echoes the book imagery of Revelation 20:12 and the recorded tears of Psalm 56:8. Malachi 4:2 picks up the same group — "you who fear My name" — and gives them a future.

Why it lands — The verse draws a line: fearing the LORD and honoring His name are not abstract virtues but the markers that distinguish a people from the rest. It asks the reader to see whether their life fits that category or the one in v. 15.

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

אָ֧ז'azthen נִדְבְּר֛וּnid.be.Ruthey spoke together יִרְאֵ֥יyir.'Ei[those] fearing יְהוָ֖הYah.weh<of> Yahweh אִ֣ישׁ'isheach אֶת־'et-with רֵעֵ֑הוּre.'E./huneighbor/ his וַיַּקְשֵׁ֤בva/i.yak.Shevand/ he paid attention יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahweh וַיִּשְׁמָ֔עva/i.yish.Ma'and/ he listened וַ֠יִּכָּתֵבVa/i.yi.ka.tevand/ it was written סֵ֣פֶרSe.fera document of זִכָּר֤וֹןzi.ka.Ronremembrance לְפָנָיו֙le./fa.Na/v<to>/ before/ him לְיִרְאֵ֣יle./yir.'Eiof/ [those] fearing יְהוָ֔הYah.weh<of> Yahweh וּלְחֹשְׁבֵ֖יu./le./cho.she.Veiand/ of/ [those who] esteemed שְׁמֽוֹ׃she.M/o<of> name/ his

King James Version

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

Cross-references

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books.
Psalms 56:8 You have taken account of my wanderings. Put my tears in Your bottle—are they not in Your book?
Malachi 4:2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.
Revelation 15:4 Who will not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
Malachi 3:5 “Then I will draw near to you for judgment. And I will be a swift witness against sorcerers and adulterers and perjurers, against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless, and against those who defraud laborers of their wages and deny justice to the foreigner but do not fear Me,” says the LORD of Hosts.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage and build one another up, just as you are already doing.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.