MAL 2:15 Interlinear View

1. Hebrew word
2. Hebrew lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. וְ,לֹא
2. 544438,544439
3. And not
4. ≈So don't
5. 3808
6. S-C,Tn
7. and=not
8. S
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380705
2. 544440
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 380706
1. אֶחָד
2. 544441
3. one
4. -
5. 259
6. O-Acmsa
7. one
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380707
1. עָשָׂה
2. 544442
3. he made
4. -
6. V-Vqp3ms
7. he_made
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380708
1. וּ,שְׁאָר
2. 544443,544444
3. and a remnant of
4. -
5. 7605
6. S-C,Ncmsc
7. and,a_remnant_of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380709
1. רוּחַ
2. 544445
3. spirit
4. -
5. 7307
6. S-Ncbsa
7. spirit
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380710
1. ל,וֹ
2. 544446,544447
3. to him/it
4. -
6. P-R,Sp3ms
7. to=him/it
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380711
1. וּ,מָה
2. 544448,544449
3. and what
4. -
5. 4100
6. SP-C,Ti
7. and,what?
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380712
1. הָ,אֶחָד
2. 544450,544451
3. the one
4. -
5. 259
6. S-Td,Acmsa
7. the=one
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380713
1. מְבַקֵּשׁ
2. 544452
3. seeking
4. -
5. 1245
6. V-Vprmsa
7. seeking
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380714
1. זֶרַע
2. 544453
3. offspring of
4. -
5. 2233
6. O-Ncmsc
7. offspring_of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380715
1. אֱלֹהִים
2. 544454
3. god
4. -
5. 430
6. O-Ncmpa
7. God
8. -
9. Person=God; Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380716
1. וְ,נִשְׁמַרְתֶּם
2. 544455,544456
3. and you(pl) will take heed
4. guard
5. 8104
6. SV-C,VNq2mp
7. and,you(pl)_will_take_heed
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380717
1. בְּ,רוּחֲ,כֶם
2. 544457,544458,544459
3. in spirit of your(pl)
4. in
5. 7307
6. S-R,Ncbsc,Sp2mp
7. in,spirit_of,your(pl)
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380718
1. וּ,בְ,אֵשֶׁת
2. 544460,544461,544462
3. and with the wife of
4. -
5. 802
6. S-C,R,Ncfsc
7. and,with,the_wife_of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380719
1. נְעוּרֶי,ךָ
2. 544463,544464
3. your youth(s) of your
4. -
6. S-Ncbpc,Sp2ms
7. your_youth(s)_of,your
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380720
1. אַל
2. 544465
3. not
4. -
5. 408
6. S-Tn
7. not
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380721
2. 544466
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 380722
1. יִבְגֹּד
2. 544467
3. let anyone deal treacherously
4. -
5. 898
6. V-Vqj3ms
7. let_anyone_deal_treacherously
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380723
2. 544468
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 380724

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:10–16: Malachi rebuked the people of Israel because they had been unfaithful to the LORD

This section contains the central message of the book. It highlights its main theme: that is, that both the priests and the people had been unfaithful to the LORD. The LORD here called them to repent and to follow him again.

This section lists three specific ways in which the people of Israel as a nation had broken their covenant with the LORD:

They had married wives who worshipped foreign gods.
They had been unfaithful to their wives.
They had even divorced their wives.

Also the people had been hypocritical. They asked the LORD to help them in order to show that they trusted him. Yet, at the same time, they continued to be unfaithful to him and to disobey him.

The Hebrew word bagad which means “faithless, treacherous” occurs five times in these verses. The repeated use of the word highlights both the unfaithfulness of the people to the LORD and their unfaithfulness to their wives.

This section contains one of the few places in the book in which it was the prophet himself who addressed the people. The prophet rebuked the people of Israel because they had been unfaithful to the LORD. He began his rebuke with a series of rhetorical questions. The first two questions in this section form a doublet, which makes an emphatic beginning, and all the questions indicate strong feeling.

Paragraph 2:13–16

Paragraph 2:10–12 shows that the people were unfaithful to the LORD and unfaithful to his covenant because they had married women who worshipped foreign gods (idols). Paragraph 2:13–16 tells another way that the people of Israel were unfaithful. They were also unfaithful to each other in marriage.

Notice the use of the “Statement, Question, Response” pattern, introducing a new discourse unit. See note 6 in “Literary structure and recurring features in Malachi” in the Introduction.

2:15a

Has not the LORD made them one,

Did not Yahweh make you^(sing) and your^(sing) wife one when you married? Yes, he did.
You^(sing) know that Yahweh united you^(sing) and your^(sing) wife as one person.

Has not the LORD made them one…?: Scholars do not agree about the meaning of this part of the verse because the Hebrew grammar is unclear. The meaning which scholars choose mainly depends on how they interpret the Hebrew word for one:

The word one refers to the bond between a husband and wife that is formed when they marry each other. The implied subject can be expressed as “God” or the LORD. For example:
Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? (NLT) (BSB, NIV, GNT, NJB, GW, CEV, NCV, NLT)
The word one refers to God, so it is the subject of the verb made. English versions that follow this interpretation supply the word “God” or capitalize the word one to clarify that it refers to God. For example:
Has not the one God made… (RSV)NET Bible offers an alternative interpretation: ‘No one does this who has even a small portion of the Spirit in him.’ It interprets the following statement to refer to the example of Abraham’s union with Hagar as a warning. (RSV, NJPS, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). It fits the context well and it is an acceptable way to interpret the Hebrew grammar here. Also many scholars support it. From this point onwards in the Notes, this interpretation is assumed.

General Comment on 2:15a

This is a rhetorical question with the implied answer, “Yes, of course he did.” If your language would not use a rhetorical question in this way, it may be best to use an emphatic statement. For example:

God made husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit… (NCV)

2:15b

having a portion of the Spirit?

Your^(plur) body and spirit belong to him.
Your^(plur) united body and spirit are for him.

having a portion of the Spirit?: Scholars do not agree about the meaning of the Hebrew text of this part of the verse either. They also connect 2:15a and 2:15b in different ways. There are many views, but the Notes will discuss only the most likely interpretations:Another view is that no one who has even a little of the Spirit of God would do such a thing. (NET, NASB)

It means that the flesh and spirit of a human and wife belong to the LORD. For example:
[Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife?] In body and spirit you are his. (NLT) (NIV, NRSV, NLT, NCV, GW)
It means that the LORD made a husband and his wife become one in both flesh and spirit. It does not explicitly state that flesh and spirit belong to him. For example:
Didn’t God create you to become like one person with your wife? (CEV) (GNT, CEV, NCV)
It means that the LORD made the human spirit. There are different variations of this view. Some scholars believe that the text refers to both flesh and spirit. Others believe that it refers to the spirit of life. For example:
Did he not create a single being, having flesh and the breath of life? (NJB) (RSV, NJB, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This view fits with the LORD’s aim (2:15c) that husband and wife should have godly offspring. So the Display will use the NLT as the Source Line for 2:15b.

General Comment on 2:15a–b

In Hebrew there are no pronouns in this part of the verse. Malachi was expressing a general fact about marriage that applies to every husband and wife. The NLT uses the pronouns “you,” “your,” and “you” to indicate this general reference. In some languages it may be more natural to use different pronouns or nouns to express this fact. For example:

Has not the Lord made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. (NIV)

Didn’t the LORD make husbands and wives one? In body and spirit they are his.

2:15c

And why one?

Why did he unite you^(sing) and your^(sing) wife like this?
What was his purpose/desire in making you^(plur) one?

And why one?: Scholars disagree about what this verse part means also. It is likely that Malachi was introducing God’s purpose in uniting husbands and wives. English versions express this meaning in different ways: For example:

What was his purpose in this? (GNT)

And what does he want? (NLT)

This verse part is another rhetorical question. Its purpose is to introduce a new point. If you would not use a rhetorical question in that way in your language, it may be best to use a statement.

2:15d

Because He seeks godly offspring.

He did this because he wants you^(plur) to have children who will follow/obey/respect him.

Because He seeks godly offspring: The text refers here to children that a faithful husband and “the wife of your youth” (2:14b, 15f) may have. It is more likely that children who are raised by godly parents will follow and obey God.

2:15e

So guard yourselves in your spirit

Therefore watch yourselves^(plur),
Therefore, be careful how you^(plur) behave,

So: The Hebrew word which the BSB translates as So is the conjunction w-. Here it introduces a statement about the way the people should act to please God and fulfill his desire for godly offspring.

2:15f

and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.

and let none of you^(plur) be unfaithful/disloyal to the wife whom he married when he was young.
and let none of you^(plur) break the promise that he made to the wife whom he married when he was young.

break faith with: This is the same word which was used in 2:10, 11, 14. See the notes on 2:10c and 2:14c.

the wife of your youth: See the note on 2:14b.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

וְ⁠לֹא־אֶחָ֣ד עָשָׂ֗ה וּ⁠שְׁאָ֥ר ר֨וּחַ֙ ל֔⁠וֹ

and=not one(ms) he/it_had_made and,a_remnant_of spirit to=him/it

Malachi is using the question form for emphasis. If a speaker of your language would not use the question form for that purpose, you could translate this as a statement or as an exclamation. See the General Notes to this chapter for a discussion of this sentence. Alternate translation: [After all, he made one, and a remnant of spirit was to him!]

Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns

וּ⁠שְׁאָ֥ר ר֨וּחַ֙ ל֔⁠וֹ

and,a_remnant_of spirit to=him/it

The pronoun him refers back to the pronoun one, meaning the husband and the wife. It may be more natural in your language to use a plural pronoun. See the General Notes to this chapter for a discussion of this clause. Alternate translation: [and a remnant of spirit was to them]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

וּ⁠מָה֙ הָֽ⁠אֶחָ֔ד מְבַקֵּ֖שׁ זֶ֣רַע אֱלֹהִ֑ים

and,what? the=one seeking seed/offspring ʼElohīm

Malachi is not asking the question And why one? to get information. Rather, he is asking and then answering his own question. This was a common practice of Jewish public speakers in this time period (and also in New Testament times). Alternate translation: [And I will tell you why he made one: he was seeking seed of God]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

זֶ֣רַע אֱלֹהִ֑ים

seed/offspring ʼElohīm

Malachi is using this possessive form to mean offspring that would be faithful to God. It may be helpful to clarify this for your readers. Alternate translation: [offspring that would be faithful to God]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וְ⁠נִשְׁמַרְתֶּם֙ בְּ⁠ר֣וּחֲ⁠כֶ֔ם

and,you(pl)_will_take_heed in,spirit_of,your(pl)

Malachi is speaking as if a person’s spirit were a physical place where they could be guarded. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [So be careful about your attitudes]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear MAL 2:15

Hebrew word order