Maleakhi 2:4

2:4 Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant ¹  may continue to be with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Maleakhi 2:9

2:9 “Therefore, I have caused you to be ignored and belittled before all people to the extent to which you are not following after me and are showing partiality in your ²  instruction.”

Maleakhi 3:11

3:11 Then I will stop the plague ³  from ruining your crops, ⁴  and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Maleakhi 3:18

3:18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between ⁵  the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.

[2:4]  ¹ sn My covenant refers to the priestly covenant through Aaron and his grandson Phinehas (see Exod 6:16-20; Num 25:10-13; Jer 33:21-22). The point here is to contrast the priestly ideal with the disgraceful manner in which it was being carried out in postexilic times.

[2:9]  ² tn Heb “in the instruction” (so NASB). The Hebrew article is used here as a possessive pronoun (cf. NRSV, NLT).

[3:11]  ³ tn Heb “the eater” (אֹכֵל, ’okhel), a general term for any kind of threat to crops and livelihood. This is understood as a reference to a locust plague by a number of English versions: NAB, NRSV “the locust”; NIV “pests”; NCV, TEV “insects.”

[3:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “and I will rebuke for you the eater and it will not ruin for you the fruit of the ground.”

[3:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “you will see between.” Cf. NRSV, TEV, NLT “see the difference.”