MAL 2:5 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. בְּרִיתִ,י
2. 544178,544179
3. Covenant of my
4. -
5. 1285
6. S-Ncfsc,Sp1cs
7. covenant_of,my
8. S
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380523
2. 544180
3. -
4. -
6. -x-paseq
8. -
9. -
10. 380524
1. הָיְתָה
2. 544181
3. it was
4. -
5. 1961
6. V-Vqp3fs
7. it_was
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380525
1. אִתּ,וֹ
2. 544182,544183
3. with him/it
4. -
5. 854
6. S-R,Sp3ms
7. with=him/it
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380526
1. הַֽ,חַיִּים
2. 544184,544185
3. the life
4. life
6. O-Td,Ncmpa
7. the=life
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380527
1. וְ,הַ,שָּׁלוֹם
2. 544186,544187,544188
3. and (the) well-being
4. peace
5. 7965
6. O-C,Td,Ncmsa
7. and,(the),well-being
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380528
1. וָ,אֶתְּנֵ,ם
2. 544189,544190,544191
3. and I gave them
4. gave
5. 5414
6. VO-C,Vqw1cs,Sp3mp
7. and,I,gave_them
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380529
2. 544192
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 380530
1. ל,וֹ
2. 544193,544194
3. to him/it
4. -
6. S-R,Sp3ms
7. to=him/it
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380531
1. מוֹרָא
2. 544195
3. fear
4. -
6. O-Ncmsa
7. fear
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380532
1. וַ,יִּירָאֵ,נִי
2. 544196,544197,544198
3. and he feared me
4. -
5. 3372
6. VO-C,Vqw3ms,Sp1cs
7. and,he,feared_me
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380533
1. וּ,מִ,פְּנֵי
2. 544199,544200,544201
3. and of
4. -
5. 6440
6. S-C,R,Ncbpc
7. and,,of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380534
1. שְׁמִ,י
2. 544202,544203
3. name of my
4. name
5. 8034
6. S-Ncmsc,Sp1cs
7. name_of,my
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380535
1. נִחַת
2. 544204
3. he was in awe
4. -
5. 2865
6. V-VNp3ms
7. he_was_in_awe
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380536
1. הוּא
2. 544205
3. he
4. -
5. 1931
6. S-Pp3ms
7. he
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380537
2. 544206
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 380538

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 1:6–2:9: The LORD rebuked the priests

Paragraph 2:5–7

The Hebrew text uses singular pronouns in 2:5–7 which refer back to Levi. However the reference here is not to Levi himself. It refers to his descendants, the priests of earlier days, who obeyed the LORD. GNT uses the plural form in this paragraph and in the following verses to indicate that the verses refer to more than one person. Similarly, the NCV translates this reference to Levi in 2:5 as:

My agreement for priests was with the tribe of Levi. (NCV)

You should consider if you should do the same in your translation. Make sure that you are consistent in your use of singular or plural pronouns in this section.

2:5a

“My covenant with him was one of life and peace,

¶ “The covenant that I made with Levi was to give him and his descendants life and well-being
¶ Yahweh also says: “Long ago when I made that covenant with the descendants of Levi, I promised them that I would give them peace/well-being

one of life and peace: That is, a covenant through which Levi’s descendants would receive life and live in peace/security.

peace: The Hebrew word shalom which the BSB translates as peace means much more than the English word “peace.” It can refer to the state of blessing that results from someone living according to the LORD’s will. This peace included feeling well and whole. See also 2:6c.

2:5b

which I gave to him;

and I gave that to him and his descendants,
and I did as I had promised them,

which I gave to him: That is, I did as I had promised him.

which: That is, life and peace.

him: That is, Levi (and his descendants).

2:5c

it called for reverence,

so that he might revere me.
I did this so that they might revere/honor me.

it called for reverence: Scholars disagree about the way this clause relates to 2:5b. There are at least three views:

It expresses purpose. The LORD gave Levi and his descendants a covenant of life and peace so that they might respect the LORD. For example:
and this is what I gave them, so that they might respect me. (GNT) (GNT, RSV, NCV, NET, GW)
It expresses the covenant’s requirements. In other words, the LORD’s covenant of life and peace gave them the responsibility to revere the LORD and his covenant. For example:
This called for reverence from them. (NLT) (BSB, NIV, NLT, CEV, REB, NASB)
It expresses the type of covenant, just as “life and peace” do. In other words, it was a covenant of reverence towards him, as well as life and peace. For example:
My covenant was with him—a covenant of life and peace, and these were what I gave him—a covenant of respect… (NJB) (NJB, NJPS)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

reverence: The purpose of the covenant (2:5a) was to cause Levi and his descendants to respect and revere the LORD.

See the note on 1:6c–d. The same Hebrew word is translated as “reverence" here. If possible, use the same expression in both verses.

2:5d

and he revered Me

And he did revere me
Indeed, they did revere/honor me

he revered Me: The Hebrew verb which the BSB translates as revered is a different form of the same verb which was used in 2:5c. This repetition of the verb emphasizes it. In some languages it may be necessary to change the second expression in some way to make it natural. For example:

and of reverence, which he showed Me. (NJPS)

2:5e

and stood in awe of My name.

and respected my-name/me.

stood in awe of My name: That is, he respected/feared me greatly. Here again, the subject of the verb is singular, but it refers to both Levi and his descendants.

My name: In the Hebrew Bible, the phrase “the LORD’s name” or My name refers to God himself or his authority.Baldwin (1972), page 225; Merrill (1994), page 401. It was also used in this way in 1:6. See the note on 1:6f. GNT uses “me” instead of My name to make this clear.

General Comment on 2:5d–e

These two verse parts are parallel and have similar meanings:

he revered Me,

and stood in awe of My name.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

בְּרִיתִ֣⁠י ׀ הָיְתָ֣ה אִתּ֗⁠וֹ הַֽ⁠חַיִּים֙ וְ⁠הַ֨⁠שָּׁל֔וֹם

covenant_of,my she/it_was with=him/it the=life and,(the),well-being

If your language does not use abstract nouns for the ideas of life and peace, you could express the same idea in another way. See the further discussion in the General Notes to this chapter. Alternate translation: [I made a covenant with him that made conditions peaceful and allowed people to live]

Note 2 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

הָיְתָ֣ה אִתּ֗⁠וֹ & ל֥⁠וֹ & וַ⁠יִּֽירָאֵ֑⁠נִי & נִחַ֥ת הֽוּא

she/it_was with=him/it & to=him/it & and,he,feared_me & stood_in_awe he/it

Since Yahweh is referring to a group of people, it might be more natural in your language to use the plural form. Alternate translation: [was with them … to them … and they feared me … they were dismayed]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

וַ⁠יִּֽירָאֵ֑⁠נִי וּ⁠מִ⁠פְּנֵ֥י שְׁמִ֖⁠י נִחַ֥ת הֽוּא

and,he,feared_me and,,of name_of,my stood_in_awe he/it

These two phrases mean basically the same thing. If it would be clearer in your language, you could combine them. Alternate translation: [and he had great reverence for me and my reputation]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

שְׁמִ֖⁠י

name_of,my

Yahweh is using one part of himself, his name, to mean all of himself. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [me]

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

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strongs
4. Hebrew word
5. Hebrew lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. Gloss
8. CAPS codes
9. OET tags
10. OET word #
1. Covenant of my
2. -
3. 911,1978
5. 544178,544179
6. S-Ncfsc,Sp1cs
8. S
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380523
1. it was
2. -
3. 1929
5. 544181
6. V-Vqp3fs
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380525
1. with him/it
2. -
3. 347,1978
5. 544182,544183
6. S-R,Sp3ms
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380526
1. the life
2. life
3. 1893,2448
5. 544184,544185
6. O-Td,Ncmpa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380527
1. and (the) well-being
2. peace
3. 1987,1893,7831
5. 544186,544187,544188
6. O-C,Td,Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380528
1. and I gave them
2. gave
3. 1987,5233,1978
5. 544189,544190,544191
6. VO-C,Vqw1cs,Sp3mp
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380529
1. to him/it
2. -
3. 3705,1978
5. 544193,544194
6. S-R,Sp3ms
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380531
1. fear
2. -
3. 4841
5. 544195
6. O-Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380532
1. and he feared me
2. -
3. 1987,3293,1978
5. 544196,544197,544198
6. VO-C,Vqw3ms,Sp1cs
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380533
1. and of
2. -
3. 1987,4129,6376
5. 544199,544200,544201
6. S-C,R,Ncbpc
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380534
1. name of my
2. name
3. 7629,1978
5. 544202,544203
6. S-Ncmsc,Sp1cs
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380535
1. he was in awe
2. -
3. 2671
5. 544204
6. V-VNp3ms
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380536
1. he
2. -
3. 1978
5. 544205
6. S-Pp3ms
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380537

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 2:5

Hebrew word order