Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Key: green:YHWH.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
KJB-1611¶ [fn]The burden of the word of yeLORD to Israel by Malachi. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation and footnotes)
BshpsThe burthen of the word of the Lorde to Israel, by the ministerie of Malachi. (The burthen of the word of the Lord to Israel, by the ministerie of Malachi.)
GnvaThe burden of the woorde of the Lord to Israel by the ministerie of Malachi.
CvdlThe heuy burthen which the LORDE sheweth agaynst Israel by Malachy. (The heuy burthen which the LORD sheweth/shows against Israel by Malachy.)
WyclThe birthun of the word of the Lord to Israel, in the hond of Malachie, the profete. (The birthun of the word of the Lord to Israel, in the hand of Malachie, the profete.)
LuthDies ist die Last, die der HErr redet wider Israel durch Maleachi. (This/These is the Last, the the/of_the LORD talks against Israel through Maleachi.)
ClVgOnus verbi Domini ad Israël in manu Malachiæ. (Onus verbi Master to Israel in by_hand Malachiæ. )
1:1This is the message (literally An Oracle: The message) that theLord gave to Israel: This superscription classifies the book of Malachi as an authoritative message from God and identifies the author and audience, though not the date or occasion. The word oracle imbues Malachi’s message with authority and urgency. His audience was expected to pay attention and respond.
The editor of the book is speaking as if the word of Yahweh were a burden that Malachi was carrying. This is likely a reference to the serious nature of what Yahweh told Malachi to say. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “The serious word from Yahweh”
The editor is using the word word by association to mean what Yahweh said by using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: “what Yahweh said”
Since Malachi is referring to a group of people, it might be more natural in your language to use the plural form of Israel. Alternate translation: “to the Israelites”
The author is using one part of Malachi, his hand, to mean all of him in the act of bringing Yahweh’s message to the Israelites. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or plain language. Alternate translation: “through”
If you ask someone today what biblical prophets did, they will likely tell you that they divinely foretold of future events. While this was often the case, most prophets in the Bible focused as much on “forthtelling” God’s messages as they did on “foretelling” the future. That is, their primary role was to simply “forthtell” divinely acquired messages to leaders and groups of people, and at times that included foretelling of coming judgment, blessing, rescue, etc. Also, though plenty of prophets (sometimes called “seers” in Scripture) often spoke in confrontational or eccentric language that put them at odds with kings and religious leaders, the biblical writers also applied the term prophet to people who communicated God’s messages in ways that many readers today might not think of as prophecy, such as worship leaders appointed by David to “prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals” (1 Chronicles 25:1). Similarly, the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, and 1 & 2 Kings are typically categorized as history by Christians, but in the Hebrew canon they belong to the category of Former Prophets. The Lord raised up prophets throughout all of biblical history, from the giving of the law under Moses to the revelation of the last days by the apostle John, and the kings of Israel and Judah often recognized and supported specific people as official prophets of the royal court and consulted them to find out God’s perspective about official matters. Following is a list of nearly everyone designated as prophet or seer in the Old Testament and the primary area of their ministry.
