Malachi 3:6

Resistance to the Lord through Selfishness

3:6 “Since, I, the Lord, do not go back on my promises, ¹  you, sons of Jacob, have not perished.

Malachi 3:8

3:8 Can a person rob ²  God? You indeed are robbing me, but you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In tithes and contributions! ³ 

Malachi 3:12

3:12 “All nations will call you happy, for you indeed will live in ⁴  a delightful land,” says the Lord who rules over all.

[3:6]  ¹ tn Heb “do not change.” This refers to God’s ongoing commitment to his covenant promises to Israel.

[3:8]  ² tc The LXX presupposes an underlying Hebrew text of עָקַב (’aqav, “deceive”), a metathesis of קָבַע (qava’, “rob”), in all four uses of the verb here (vv. 8-9). The intent probably is to soften the impact of “robbing” God, but the language of the passage is intentionally bold and there is no reason to go against the reading of the MT (which is followed here by most English versions).

[3:8]  ³ sn The tithes and contributions mentioned here are probably those used to sustain the Levites (see Num 18:8, 11, 19, 21-24).

[3:12]  ³ tn Heb “will be” (so NAB, NRSV); TEV “your land will be a good place to live in.”