Exodus 7:22

7:22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same ¹  by their secret arts, and so ²  Pharaoh’s heart remained hard, ³  and he refused to listen to Moses and Aaron ⁴  – just as the Lord had predicted.

Exodus 10:23

10:23 No one ⁵  could see ⁶  another person, and no one could rise from his place for three days. But the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

Malachi 3:18

3:18 Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between ⁷  the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not.

Malachi 3:1

3:1 “I am about to send my messenger, ⁸  who will clear the way before me. Indeed, the Lord ⁹  you are seeking will suddenly come to his temple, and the messenger ¹⁰  of the covenant, whom you long for, is certainly coming,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Colossians 4:7

Personal Greetings and Instructions

4:7 Tychicus, a dear brother, faithful minister, and fellow slave ¹¹  in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. ¹² 

¹ tn Heb “thus, so.”

² tn The vav consecutive on the preterite introduces the outcome or result of the matter – Pharaoh was hardened.

³ tn Heb “and the heart of Pharaoh became hard.” This phrase translates the Hebrew word חָזַק (khazaq; see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 53). In context this represents the continuation of a prior condition.

⁴ tn Heb “to them”; the referents (Moses and Aaron) have been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁵ tn Heb “a man…his brother.”

⁶ tn The perfect tense in this context requires the somewhat rare classification of a potential perfect.

⁷ tn Heb “you will see between.” Cf. NRSV, TEV, NLT “see the difference.”

⁸ tn In Hebrew the phrase “my messenger” is מַלְאָכִי (mal’akhi), the same form as the prophet’s name (see note on the name “Malachi” in 1:1). However, here the messenger appears to be an eschatological figure who is about to appear, as the following context suggests. According to 4:5, this messenger is “Elijah the prophet,” whom the NT identifies as John the Baptist (Matt 11:10; Mark 1:2) because he came in the “spirit and power” of Elijah (Matt 11:14; 17:11-12; Lk 1:17).

⁹ tn Here the Hebrew term הָאָדוֹן (ha’adon) is used, not יְהוָה (yÿhvah, typically rendered Lord). Thus the focus is not on the Lord as the covenant God, but on his role as master.

¹⁰ sn This messenger of the covenant may be equated with my messenger (that is, Elijah) mentioned earlier in the verse, or with the Lord himself. In either case the messenger functions as an enforcer of the covenant. Note the following verses, which depict purifying judgment on a people that has violated the Lord’s covenant.

¹¹ tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

¹² tn Grk “all things according to me.”