MAL 3:5 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. וְ,קָרַבְתִּי
2. 544644,544645
3. And I will draw near
4. -
5. 7126
6. SV-C,Vqq1cs
7. and,I_will_draw_near
8. S
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380848
1. אֲלֵי,כֶם
2. 544646,544647
3. to you(pl)
4. -
5. 413
6. S-R,Sp2mp
7. to,you(pl)
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380849
1. לַ,מִּשְׁפָּט
2. 544648,544649
3. for judgement
4. judge
5. 4941
6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
7. for,judgment
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380850
1. וְ,הָיִיתִי
2. 544650,544651
3. and I will be
4. -
5. 1961
6. SV-C,Vqq1cs
7. and=I_will_be
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380851
2. 544652
3. -
4. -
6. -x-paseq
8. -
9. -
10. 380852
1. עֵד
2. 544653
3. a witness
4. -
5. 5707
6. O-Ncmsa
7. a_witness
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380853
1. מְמַהֵר
2. 544654
3. who hastens
4. -
6. O-Vprmsa
7. [who]_hastens
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380854
1. בַּֽ,מְכַשְּׁפִים
2. 544655,544656
3. on sorcerers
4. sorcery in
5. 3784
6. S-Rd,Vprmpa
7. on,sorcerers
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380855
1. וּ,בַ,מְנָאֲפִים
2. 544657,544658,544659
3. and on adulterers
4. adulterers
5. 5003
6. S-C,Rd,Vprmpa
7. and,on,adulterers
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380856
1. וּ,בַ,נִּשְׁבָּעִים
2. 544660,544661,544662
3. and on who] swear an oath
4. -
5. 7650
6. SV-C,Rd,VNrmpa
7. and,on,who]_swear_an_oath
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380857
1. לַ,שָּׁקֶר
2. 544663,544664
3. to falsehood
4. -
5. 8267
6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
7. to,falsehood
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380858
1. וּ,בְ,עֹשְׁקֵי
2. 544665,544666,544667
3. and on those who defraud of
4. -
5. 6231
6. S-C,R,Vqrmpc
7. and,on,[those_who]_defraud_of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380859
1. שְׂכַר
2. 544668
3. (of) +the hire of
4. -
5. 7939
6. S-Ncmsc
7. (of)_[the]_hire_of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380860
2. 544669
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 380861
1. שָׂכִיר
2. 544670
3. a hired labourer
4. -
5. 7916
6. S-Aamsa
7. a_hired_laborer
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380862
1. אַלְמָנָה
2. 544671
3. a widow
4. widows
5. 490
6. S-Ncfsa
7. a_widow
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380863
1. וְ,יָתוֹם
2. 544672,544673
3. and a fatherless one
4. orphans
5. 3490
6. S-C,Ncmsa
7. and,a_fatherless_one
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380864
1. וּ,מַטֵּי
2. 544674,544675
3. and those who thrust aside of
4. -
5. 5186
6. S-C,Vhrmpc
7. and,[those_who]_thrust_aside_of
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380865
2. 544676
3. -
4. -
6. -x-maqqef
8. -
9. -
10. 380866
1. גֵר
2. 544677
3. (of) a sojourner
4. -
5. 1616
6. S-Ncmsa
7. (of)_a_sojourner
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380867
1. וְ,לֹא
2. 544678,544679
3. and not
4. -
5. 3808
6. S-C,Tn
7. and=not
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380868
1. יְרֵאוּ,נִי
2. 544680,544681
3. they fear me
4. -
5. 3372
6. VO-Vqp3cp,Sp1cs
7. they,fear_me
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380869
1. אָמַר
2. 544682
3. he says
4. says
5. 559
6. V-Vqp3ms
7. he_says
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380870
1. יְהוָה
2. 544683
3. YHWH
4. Yahweh
5. 3068
6. S-Np
7. Yahweh
8. -
9. Person=God; Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380871
1. צְבָאוֹת
2. 544684
3. hosts
4. army-commander
6. S-Ncbpa
7. hosts
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380872
2. 544685
3. -
4. -
6. -x-sof-pasuq
8. -
9. -
10. 380873

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 2:17–3:5: The LORD revealed that he would come to judge and purify his people

2:17 is a transitional verse. In 2:10–16 Malachi and the LORD listed ways that the priests and people had been unfaithful. In 2:17, the focus becomes the LORD’s response to this unfaithfulness. So it seems best to consider 2:17 as the beginning of a new section, rather than as the end of the preceding section.

Notice also that this verse contains Malachi’s typical structure for beginning a new section:

a statement by the LORD,
a question challenging the LORD’s statement,
and then the development of the theme of the section.

See note 6 in “Literary structure and recurring features in Malachi” in the Introduction.

3:5c

against sorcerers

against those who do witchcraft,

3:5d

and adulterers

against those who commit/do adultery,
and to speak against those who are unfaithful to their husbands or wives

3:5h

and deny justice to the foreigner

and who push aside strangers/foreigners who are living in their villages.

3:5

Notice that GNT begins this verse with the phrase:

The Lord Almighty says. (GNT)

In the Hebrew text, these words are at the end of 3:5 (as in the BSB). GNT moved these words to the beginning of 3:5 to make it clear that it was the LORD who was speaking here, not Malachi. Consider whether it may be necessary to do the same in your language.

3:5a

“Then I will draw near to you for judgment.

¶ “I will come to you^(plur) in order to judge you^(plur).
¶ Yahweh says, “I will come near to judge you^(plur).

Then: The Hebrew conjunction w- is translated by the BSB as Then. Here it introduces a new paragraph. The events which the LORD described in this paragraph would happen before the events of the preceding paragraph or at the same time. You will need to translate the connection in an appropriate way to avoid confusion in your language. English versions translate it with expressions like “then,” “at that time” or “so.” Some versions omit it. Use what would be natural in your language in this context.

I will draw near to you for judgment: That is, I will come to you, in order to judge you. This judgment would be an answer to the accusation of the people in 2:17, “Where is the God of justice?”

3:5b

And I will be a swift witness

I will be quick to speak

And I will be a swift witness: Other ways to express this are:

I will quickly condemn. (CEV)

I will act as a relentless accuser. (NJPS)

Do not use a term which would imply that the LORD was simply a witness, whose testimony would be compared with that of others.We must not imagine that the scene here is that of a courtroom, for then Yahweh would seem, in the modern conception, to be in the role of witness, not of judge. Rather, the scene is that of a disobedient servant hauled before the Great King (Mal. 1:14) and accused by the King himself of covenant breaking. The whole interior dynamic of the book of Malachi is one of a rîḇ, that is, a juridical proceeding against covenant breakers. The Great King (the Hittite emperors were called that) is both accuser and judge. Witnesses are only incidental to the proceeding (Pohlig, personal communication).

3:5e

and perjurers,

against those who tell lies in the court,
and to speak against those who tell lies when they have sworn/promised to tell the truth,

perjurers: The Hebrew expression which the BSB translates as perjurers means to swear that a false statement is really true.

3:5f

against oppressors of the widowed and fatherless,

and to speak against those who cheat/take-advantage-of widows and orphans,

3:5g

and against those who defraud laborers of their wages

against any person who refuses to give those who work for him the money he owes them,
and to speak against those who do not give their workers the money they deserve,

3:5f–g

defraud: The Hebrew word which the BSB translates as defraud in 3:5g applies to the widow and orphan in 3:5f also. The word means “to wrong, cheat, oppress.”

3:5i

but do not fear Me,”

Indeed I will speak against all those people who do not fear/respect me.”

In 3:5c–h the LORD gave a list of the categories of people whom he will judge. 3:5i is not simply a continuation of this list; it applies to each of the groups of people listed in 3:5c–h.

do not fear Me: The Hebrew word moraʾ which the BSB translates as fear can also mean “reverence” or “awe.” It is translated in many English versions as “respect.”

3:5j

says the LORD of Hosts.

These are the words of Yahweh Sabaot.
Yahweh Sabaot has spoken.
This is what Yahweh Sabaot says to you^(plur).

says the LORD of Hosts: This speech clause occurs many times throughout the text. The repetition emphasizes the fact that this is a direct message from the LORD. See the note on 3:1f. See also note 1 in “Literary structure and recurring features in Malachi” in the Introduction.

Notice that in the BSB this clause occurs after the speech. This is good English style. You should place it wherever is natural in your language.

the LORD of Hosts: This special title for the LORD occurs twenty-four times in Malachi. See the note on 3:1f. See also the discussion of this term in the Key biblical terms in the book of Malachi section of the Introduction.

General Comment on 3:5b–j

As stated above, 3:5i applies to each of the groups of people listed in 3:5c–h. It is not simply another category of people whom the LORD will judge. In some languages it will be clearer if the verse is re-ordered. The NJPS re-orders this verse to show this clearly:

^5band I will act as a relentless accuser ⁵ⁱagainst those who have no fear of Me: ^5cWho practice sorcery, ^5dwho commit adultery, ^5ewho swear falsely, ^5gwho cheat laborers of their hire, ^5fand who subvert [the cause of] the widow, orphan, ^5hand stranger, ^5jsaid the Lord of Hosts. (NJPS)

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

בַּֽ⁠מְכַשְּׁפִים֙ וּ⁠בַ⁠מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים וּ⁠בַ⁠נִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים לַ⁠שָּׁ֑קֶר וּ⁠בְ⁠עֹשְׁקֵ֣י שְׂכַר־שָׂ֠כִיר אַלְמָנָ֨ה וְ⁠יָת֤וֹם וּ⁠מַטֵּי־גֵר֙ וְ⁠לֹ֣א יְרֵא֔וּ⁠נִי

on,sorcerers and,on,adulterers and,on,who]_swear_an_oath to,falsehood and,on,[those_who]_defraud_of wages_of hired_worker widow and,a_fatherless_one and,[those_who]_thrust_aside_of alien and=not they,fear_me

If it would be more natural in your language, you could reverse the order of these phrases, since the second phrase gives the reason for the result that the first phrase describes. Alternate translation: [against those who, because they do not fear me, are sorcerers or adulterers or swear to a lie or oppress the wage of the hired worker, the widow, and the orphan or turn aside the foreigner]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

לַ⁠מִּשְׁפָּט֒

for,judgment

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of judgment, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: [as a judge]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

וְ⁠הָיִ֣יתִי ׀ עֵ֣ד מְמַהֵ֗ר בַּֽ⁠מְכַשְּׁפִים֙ וּ⁠בַ⁠מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים וּ⁠בַ⁠נִּשְׁבָּעִ֖ים לַ⁠שָּׁ֑קֶר וּ⁠בְ⁠עֹשְׁקֵ֣י שְׂכַר־שָׂ֠כִיר אַלְמָנָ֨ה וְ⁠יָת֤וֹם וּ⁠מַטֵּי־גֵר֙

and=I_will_be witness swift on,sorcerers and,on,adulterers and,on,who]_swear_an_oath to,falsehood and,on,[those_who]_defraud_of wages_of hired_worker widow and,a_fatherless_one and,[those_who]_thrust_aside_of alien

Yahweh is using the idea of being a witness to represent the entire process of judging and punishing. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [And I will declare people guilty and punish them for what they have done wrong, including sorcerers, adulterers, those who swear to a lie, those who oppress the wage of the hired worker, the widow, and the orphan, and those who turn aside the foreigner]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

וּ⁠בְ⁠עֹשְׁקֵ֣י שְׂכַר

and,on,[those_who]_defraud_of wages_of

Yahweh is speaking of wage as if it were a person who could be oppressed. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and against those who do not pay fair wages to]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / genericnoun

שָׂ֠כִיר אַלְמָנָ֨ה וְ⁠יָת֤וֹם & גֵר֙

hired_worker widow and,a_fatherless_one & alien

Here, the hired worker and the widow and the orphan and the foreigner represent hired workers, widows, orphans, and foreigners in general, not a specific hired worker or widow or orphan or foreigner. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use more natural expressions. Alternate translation: [hired workers, widows, orphans … foreigners]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וּ⁠מַטֵּי־גֵר֙

and,[those_who]_thrust_aside_of alien

Yahweh is speaking of denying justice to foreigners as if people who did that were turning them aside from a road they were walking on and needed to stay on. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [and those who deny justice to foreigners]

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. And I will draw near
2. -
3. 1987,6985
5. 544644,544645
6. SV-C,Vqq1cs
8. S
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380848
1. to you(pl)
2. -
3. 369,1978
5. 544646,544647
6. S-R,Sp2mp
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380849
1. for judgement
2. judge
3. 3705,4244
5. 544648,544649
6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380850
1. and I will be
2. -
3. 1987,1929
5. 544650,544651
6. SV-C,Vqq1cs
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380851
1. a witness
2. -
3. 5696
5. 544653
6. O-Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380853
1. who hastens
2. -
3. 4670
5. 544654
6. O-Vprmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380854
1. on sorcerers
2. sorcery in
3. 846,3657
5. 544655,544656
6. S-Rd,Vprmpa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380855
1. and on adulterers
2. adulterers
3. 1987,846,5103
5. 544657,544658,544659
6. S-C,Rd,Vprmpa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380856
1. and on who] swear an oath
2. -
3. 1987,846,7767
5. 544660,544661,544662
6. SV-C,Rd,VNrmpa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380857
1. to falsehood
2. -
3. 3705,7684
5. 544663,544664
6. S-Rd,Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380858
1. and on those who defraud of
2. -
3. 1987,846,6026
5. 544665,544666,544667
6. S-C,R,Vqrmpc
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380859
1. (of) +the hire of
2. -
3. 8097
5. 544668
6. S-Ncmsc
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380860
1. a hired labourer
2. -
3. 8093
5. 544670
6. S-Aamsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380862
1. a widow
2. widows
3. 519
5. 544671
6. S-Ncfsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380863
1. and a fatherless one
2. orphans
3. 1987,3325
5. 544672,544673
6. S-C,Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380864
1. and those who thrust aside of
2. -
3. 1987,5168
5. 544674,544675
6. S-C,Vhrmpc
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380865
1. (of) a sojourner
2. -
3. 1424
5. 544677
6. S-Ncmsa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380867
1. and not
2. -
3. 1987,3835
5. 544678,544679
6. S-C,Tn
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380868
1. they fear me
2. -
3. 3293,1978
5. 544680,544681
6. VO-Vqp3cp,Sp1cs
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380869
1. YHWH
2. Yahweh
3. 3354
5. 544683
6. S-Np
8. -
9. Person=God; Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380871
1. he says
2. says
3. 683
5. 544682
6. V-Vqp3ms
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380870
1. hosts
2. army-commander
3. 6629
5. 544684
6. S-Ncbpa
8. -
9. Y-397; TProphecies_of_Malachi
10. 380872

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 3:5

Hebrew word order