Malachi 2:7

KJV1611 – Modern English

For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּֽי־שִׂפְתֵ֤י כֹהֵן֙ יִשְׁמְרוּ־דַ֔עַת וְתוֹרָ֖ה יְבַקְשׁ֣וּ מִפִּ֑יהוּ כִּ֛י מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָֽה־צְבָא֖וֹת הֽוּא׃

Transliteration

For-śiptê kōhēn yišmərû-daʿat and-tôrâ yəbaqšû from-pîhû for malʾak YHWH-ṣəbāʾôt he

Grammar Details

• *śiptê*: feminine dual construct - lips of
• *kōhēn*: masculine singular noun - priest
• *yišmərû*: qal imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they will keep/guard/preserve
• *daʿat*: feminine singular noun - knowledge
• *tôrâ*: feminine singular noun - law/instruction
• *yəbaqšû*: piel imperfect 3rd person masculine plural - they will seek
• *pîhû*: masculine singular noun with 3rd person masculine singular suffix - his mouth
• *malʾak*: masculine singular construct - messenger/angel of
• *YHWH*: divine name
• *ṣəbāʾôt*: feminine plural noun - hosts/armies

Word Meanings

• *śiptê*: lips/speech/language of
• *kōhēn*: priest/minister
• *yišmərû*: they will keep/guard/preserve/maintain
• *daʿat*: knowledge/understanding/discernment
• *tôrâ*: law/instruction/teaching/direction
• *yəbaqšû*: they will seek/search for/consult
• *malʾak*: messenger/angel/ambassador

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For the priest's{H3548} lips{H8193} should keep{H8104} knowledge,{H1847} and they should seek{H1245} the law{H8451} at his mouth;{H6310} for he is the messenger{H4397} of Jehovah{H3068} of hosts.{H6635}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For the priest's{H3548} lips{H8193} should keep{H8104}{(H8799)} knowledge{H1847}, and they should seek{H1245}{(H8762)} the law{H8451} at his mouth{H6310}: for he is the messenger{H4397} of the LORD{H3068} of hosts{H6635}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For the prestes lippes shulde be sure knowlege, that men maye seke the lawe at his mouth, for he is a messaunger of the LORDE of hoostes.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For the Priestes lippes shoulde preserue knowledge, and they shoulde seeke the Lawe at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For the priestes lippes shall kepe knowledge, and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth: because he is the messenger of the Lorde of hoastes.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Hosts.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge, And law they do seek from his mouth, For a messenger of Jehovah of Hosts he `is'.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  For it is right for the priest's lips to keep knowledge, and for men to be waiting for the law from his mouth: for he is the servant sent from the Lord of armies.

• World English Bible (2000)

  For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Yahweh of Armies.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him because he is the messenger of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.

Referenced Verses

• Lev 10:11 : 11 and that you may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them by the hand of Moses.'
• Jer 18:18 : 18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
• Hag 1:13 : 13 Then Haggai, the LORD'S messenger, spoke the LORD'S message to the people, saying, 'I am with you,' says the LORD.
• John 13:20 : 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, He who receives whomever I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
• Deut 17:8-9 : 8 If a matter arises that is too hard for you to judge, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of dispute within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses, 9 and you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge who is in office in those days, and inquire, and they shall declare to you the verdict of the judgment. 10 You shall do according to the decision they give you at the place which the LORD chooses, and you shall be careful to do according to all that they instruct you. 11 According to the sentence of the law which they teach you, and according to the judgment which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the sentence they show you, to the right hand or to the left.
• Deut 21:5 : 5 And the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come near, for them the LORD your God has chosen to minister to Him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word every controversy and every stroke shall be tried:
• Deut 24:8 : 8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that you observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests, the Levites, shall teach you: as I commanded them, so you shall observe to do.
• 2 Chr 17:8-9 : 8 And with them he sent Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests. 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.
• 2 Chr 30:22 : 22 And Hezekiah spoke comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
• Ezra 7:10 : 10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.
• Neh 8:2-8 : 2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it in the street before the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a wooden platform, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchiah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites helped the people to understand the law; and the people stood in their place. 8 So they read in the book of the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
• Isa 42:19 : 19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger whom I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's servant?
• Isa 44:26 : 26 Who confirms the word of his servant, and performs the counsel of his messengers; who says to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
• Jer 15:19 : 19 Therefore thus says the LORD, If you return, then I will bring you again, and you shall stand before me: and if you take forth the precious from the vile, you shall be as my mouth: let them return to you; but return not you to them.
• John 20:21 : 21 Then Jesus said to them again, Peace be to you! As my Father has sent me, I also send you.
• Acts 16:17 : 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.
• 2 Cor 5:20 : 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
• Gal 4:14 : 14 And my trial which was in my flesh you did not despise or reject, but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
• 1 Thess 4:8 : 8 Therefore he who despises does not despise man, but God, who has also given unto us His Holy Spirit.
• 2 Tim 2:24-25 : 24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, 25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
• Hag 2:11-13 : 11 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, 12 If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the fold touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any food, will it become holy? And the priests answered and said, No. 13 Then Haggai said, If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.
• Mal 3:1 : 1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom you seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom you delight in: behold, he shall come, says the LORD of hosts.
• Num 27:21 : 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask for him the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him, the entire congregation.