Messenger — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

One who carries a message, a herald. The word “messenger” is used in the Bible in four ways.

1. The word is used of messengers carrying messages from one person to another. Such messengers might bring news (2 Sm 11:22), requests or demands (1 Sm 11:3; 16:19), or act as envoys of one nation to another (Is 37:9). In the NT we read of messengers of the churches (2 Cor 8:23; Phil 2:25). The blessing of a good messenger is spoken of in Proverbs 25:13: “Faithful messengers are as refreshing as snow in the heat of summer. They revive the spirit of their employer” (NLT).

Show passage in OET: SA2 11:22

OET-RV SA2 11:22

22 So the messenger left and went and told David everything that Yoav had told him,

OET-LV SA2 11:22

22 And_ the_messenger _he/it _went and_he _came and_he _told to_Dāvid DOM all _of that he_had _sent _him Yōʼāⱱ/(Joab).

Show passage in OET: SA1 11:3

OET-RV SA1 11:3

3 “Oh! Then leave us alone for seven days,” the Yavesh elders responded, “so that we can send messengers through all the territory of Yisrael. If no one will come to rescue us, then we’ll surrender to you.”

OET-LV SA1 11:3

3 And_they _said to_him/it the _elders _of Yāⱱēsh refrain to/for_us seven _of days so_that _we _may _send messengers in_all _of the _territory _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_if there_is_not one _who_delivers us and_we _will _come _out to_you.

Show passage in OET: SA1 16:19

OET-RV SA1 16:19

19 So Sha’ul sent messengers to Yishay to tell him, “Your son David who looks after your flock, send him to me.”

OET-LV SA1 16:19

19 And_ Shāʼūl _he _sent messengers to Yishay and_he/it _said send to_me DOM Dāvid son _of_your who is_with_flock.

Show passage in OET: ISA 37:9

OET-RV ISA 37:9

9 Then the king heard that Kush’s (Ethiopia’s) King Tirhakah was marching out to attack him, so he sent messengers back to Hizkiyah (Hezekiah) with instructions,

OET-LV ISA 37:9

9 And_he/it _listened on Tirhāqāh the _king _of Kūsh/(Cush) to_say he _has _come _out to_do _battle with_you and_he/it _listened and_he _sent messengers to Ḩizqiy^yāh to_say.

Show passage in OET: CO2 8:23

OET-RV CO2 8:23

23 Concerning Titos, he is my partner and your fellow-worker, and the accompanying brothers are ambassadors of the assemblies which are Messiah’s splendour,

OET-LV CO2 8:23

23 Whether concerning Titos, he _is _partner my and for you _all a_fellow-worker, or the_brothers of _us, ambassadors of_the_assemblies the_glory of_chosen _one /messiah.

Show passage in OET: PHP 2:25

OET-RV PHP 2:25

25 Meanwhile I thought it was necessary to send Epafroditos to you all. He’s my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your ambassador and minister to my needs.

OET-LV PHP 2:25

25 But necessary I _considered, Epafroditos, the brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier of _me, and of _you _all ambassador and minister of _the need of _me, to _send to you _all,

Show passage in OET: PRO 25:13

OET-RV PRO 25:13

13 To those who send him, a faithful messenger
⇔ is like cool snow when doing a day’s hard work,
⇔ and it refreshes the soul of his masters.

OET-LV PRO 25:13

13 Is_like_the_cold _of snow in/on_day harvest an _envoy faithful to_those _of_who_sent _him and_the _life _of his _masters _of_his he _will _restore.

Jump to OET SA2 11:22 section.

Jump to OET SA1 11:3 section.

Jump to OET SA1 16:19 section.

Jump to OET ISA 37:9 section.

Jump to OET CO2 8:23 section.

Jump to OET PHP 2:25 section.

Jump to OET PRO 25:13 section.

2. The word is used of messengers bringing messages from God. Israel was intended to be God’s messenger but often showed herself blind and deaf (Is 42:19). Prophets (Hg 1:13) and priests (Mal 2:7) were God’s messengers. God sent many such messengers to his people, even though they were often unheeded (2 Chr 36:15-16). In Malachi 3:1 we have the prophecy of a special messenger, “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming” (NLT). This verse is quoted in the NT in Matthew 11:10, Mark 1:2, and Luke 7:27 as fulfilled in John the Baptist.

Show passage in OET: ISA 42:19

OET-RV ISA 42:19

19 Who is blind other than my servant,
⇔ or deaf like my messenger who I’ll send?
⇔ Who’s blind like my partner in our agreement,
⇔ or blind like Yahweh’s servant.

OET-LV ISA 42:19

19 Who is_blind if/because (if) servant _of_my and_deaf like_messenger _of_my whom_I _will _send who is_blind like_one_in _a _covenant and_blind like_the _servant _of YHWH.

Show passage in OET: HAG 1:13

OET-RV HAG 1:13

13 Then Yahweh’s messenger Hagay passed this message from Yahweh onto the people, “Yahweh declares that I’m with you all.”

OET-LV HAG 1:13

13 And_ Ḩaggay the _messenger _of YHWH _he/it _said by_the _message _of YHWH to_people to_say I am_with_you(pl) the _utterance _of YHWH.

Show passage in OET: MAL 2:7

OET-RV MAL 2:7

7 Yes, priests should pass on knowledge and people should look to them for good teaching, because they are Commander-in-chief Yahweh’s messengers.

OET-LV MAL 2:7

7 If/because the_lips _of a _priest they _will _preserve knowledge and_instruction people _will _seek from_mouth _of_his if/because is_the _messenger _of YHWH soldiers/messengers he.

Show passage in OET: CH2 36:15–16

OET-RV CH2 36:15

15 So Yahweh, their ancestors’ god, sent many messages via his prophets, because he felt compassion for his people and his residence,

OET-RV CH2 36:16

16 but they mocked God’s messengers and rejected the messages—ridiculing his prophets until Yahweh became so angry that he couldn’t be stopped.

OET-LV CH2 36:15

15 And_ YHWH the _god _of their _ancestors _of_their _he _sent to_them by_the _hand _of his _messengers _of_his rising _early and_sending if/because he _had _compassion on people _of_his and_on place _of_his _dwelling.

OET-LV CH2 36:16

16 And_they _were deriding (in)_the_messengers _of the_ʼElohīm and_despising words/messages _of_his and_mocking at_prophets _of_his until the _rage _of YHWH came _up on_people _of_his until (to)_there_was_not healing.

Show passage in OET: MAL 3:1

OET-RV MAL 3:1

3 “Listen, I’m about to send my messenger and he’ll prepare the path ahead of me. Then the master who you’re all looking for will suddenly come to his temple, yes, the messenger who you are all happy about—the party to the agreement—he’ll come,” says Commander-in-chief Yahweh.

OET-LV MAL 3:1

3 Here_I am_about _to _send messenger _of_my and_he _will _make _clear a _way before_me and_suddenly he _will _come to temple _of_his the_master whom you(pl) are_seeking and_the _messenger _of the _covenant whom you(pl) are_delighting THERE he_is_about _to _come YHWH soldiers/messengers he _says.

Show passage in OET: MAT 11:10

OET-RV MAT 11:10

10 He’s the one that was written about: ‘See, I’m sending out my messenger ahead of you, and he’ll get your path ready for you.’

OET-LV MAT 11:10

10 This one is concerning whom it _has _been _written:
Behold, I am _sending _out the messenger of _me before the_face of _you, who will _be _preparing the way of _you before you.

Show passage in OET: MRK 1:2

OET-RV MRK 1:2

2 The prophet Yeshayah (Isaiah) wrote:
⇔ “Look, I’m sending my messenger ahead of you,
⇔ the one who’ll be preparing your path.

OET-LV MRK 1:2

2 As it _has _been _written in the Aʸsaias/(Yəshaˊ^yāh) the prophet:
Behold, I _am _sending _out the messenger of _me before the_face of _you, who will _be _preparing the way of _you.

Show passage in OET: LUK 7:27

OET-RV LUK 7:27

27 He is the one that was written about: ‘See, I’m sending my messenger ahead of you and he will prepare your path before you get there.’

OET-LV LUK 7:27

27 This is he concerning whom it _has _been _written:
Behold, I _am _sending _out the messenger of _me before the_face of _you, who will _be _preparing the way of _you before you.

Jump to OET ISA 42:19 section.

Jump to OET HAG 1:13 section.

Jump to OET MAL 2:7 section.

Jump to OET CH2 36:15–16 section.

Jump to OET MAL 3:1 section.

Jump to OET MAT 11:10 section.

Jump to OET MRK 1:2 section.

Jump to OET LUK 7:27 section.

3. In both the OT and NT the most common word for “messenger” is also that for “angel.” God’s angels are distinctively his messengers. See Angel.

4. The word is used in a metaphorical sense, as in Proverbs 16:14, “The wrath of a king is as messengers of death” (KJB), and in 2 Corinthians 12:7, where Paul’s constant physical ailment is called “a messenger from Satan to torment” him.