Malachi 2:4

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Then you will know that I have sent this command to you so that My covenant with Levi may continue, says the Lord of Hosts.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וִֽידַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּ֚י שִׁלַּ֣חְתִּי אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֑את לִֽהְי֤וֹת בְּרִיתִי֙ אֶת־לֵוִ֔י אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

Transliteration

And-yədaʿtem that šillaḥtî to-you ʾēt the-miṣwâ the-zōʾt to-be bərîtî ʾet-Lēwî ʾāmar YHWH ṣəbāʾôt

Grammar Details

• *yədaʿtem*: qal perfect 2nd person masculine plural - you will know
• *šillaḥtî*: qal perfect 1st person singular - I have sent
• *miṣwâ*: feminine singular noun - commandment
• *zōʾt*: feminine singular demonstrative pronoun - this
• *bərîtî*: feminine singular noun with 1st person singular suffix - my covenant
• *Lēwî*: proper noun - Levi
• *ʾāmar*: qal perfect 3rd person masculine singular - he said/declared
• *YHWH*: divine name
• *ṣəbāʾôt*: feminine plural noun - hosts/armies

Word Meanings

• *yədaʿtem*: you will know/understand/perceive
• *šillaḥtî*: I have sent/dispatched
• *miṣwâ*: commandment/ordinance/instruction
• *bərîtî*: my covenant/agreement/pact
• *ṣəbāʾôt*: hosts/armies/heavenly bodies

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with Levi, says the LORD of hosts.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And ye shall know{H3045} that I have sent{H7971} this commandment{H4687} unto you, that my covenant{H1285} may be with Levi,{H3878} saith{H559} Jehovah{H3068} of hosts.{H6635}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And ye shall know{H3045}{(H8804)} that I have sent{H7971}{(H8765)} this commandment{H4687} unto you, that my covenant{H1285} might be with Levi{H3878}, saith{H559}{(H8804)} the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And ye shall knowe, that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you: that my couenaunt which I made with Leui, might stonde, sayeth ye LORDE of hoostes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And yee shall know, that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you, that my couenant, which I made with Leui, might stand, sayeth the Lord of hostes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And you shall know that I haue sent this comaundement vnto you, that my couenaunt which I haue made with Leui might stand, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says Yahweh of Hosts.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And ye have known that I have sent unto you this charge, For My covenant being with Levi, Said Jehovah of Hosts.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And you will be certain that I have sent this order to you, so that it might be my agreement with Levi, says the Lord of armies.

• World English Bible (2000)

  You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says Yahweh of Armies.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant may continue to be with Levi,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

Referenced Verses

• Num 3:12 : 12 I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine.
• Num 3:45 : 45 Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn males among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites in place of the livestock of the Israelites. The Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD.
• 1 Kgs 22:25 : 25 Micaiah replied, 'You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.'
• Neh 13:29 : 29 Remember them, my God, for defiling the priesthood and breaking the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.
• Isa 1:24-28 : 24 Therefore, this is the declaration of the Lord, the LORD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "I will gain relief from My adversaries and avenge Myself on My enemies. 25 I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purify your dross as with lye and remove all your impurities. 26 I will restore your judges as at the beginning, and your counselors as at the start. Afterward, you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City. 27 Zion will be redeemed through justice, and her repentant ones through righteousness. 28 But rebels and sinners will be destroyed together, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
• Isa 26:11 : 11 LORD, Your hand is lifted high, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be ashamed; the fire reserved for Your enemies will consume them.
• Isa 27:9 : 9 By this, the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the altar stones like crushed chalk stones, and no Asherah poles or incense altars will stand.
• Jer 28:9 : 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his word comes to pass.
• Ezek 20:38-41 : 38 I will purge you of those who rebel and transgress against me. Even though I bring them out from the land where they are living, they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD. 39 As for you, house of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward, you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD, there the entire house of Israel, all of them in the land, will worship me. There I will accept them, and there I will require their contributions, their choice gifts, and all their holy offerings. 41 With a pleasing aroma, I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you were scattered. And I will show my holiness through you in the sight of the nations.
• Ezek 33:33 : 33 When it happens—and behold, it will happen—they will know that a prophet was among them.
• Ezek 38:23 : 23 Thus I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.
• Ezek 44:9-9 : 9 Thus says the Lord GOD: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, shall enter My sanctuary—not even any foreigner among the people of Israel. 10 But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who strayed after their idols, shall bear their punishment. 11 They shall serve as ministers in My sanctuary, responsible for the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple. They shall slaughter the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for the people, and they shall stand before them to serve them. 12 Because they served them before their idols and caused the house of Israel to stumble into iniquity, therefore I have lifted My hand against them, declares the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their punishment. 13 They shall not come near Me to serve as priests or to come near any of My holy things or the most holy things; they will bear their shame for the abominations they have committed. 14 I will appoint them as caretakers of the temple to perform all its duties and all that needs to be done within it. 15 But the Levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok who faithfully preserved the charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, shall come near Me to serve Me. They shall stand in My presence to offer fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD. 16 They alone shall enter My sanctuary, and they shall approach My table to serve Me. They will keep My charge.
• Matt 3:12 : 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
• Luke 10:11 : 11 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off as a warning to you. Yet know this: The kingdom of God has come near.'
• John 15:2 : 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.