3:1 Behold, I send forth my messenger, and
he shall survey the way before me: and Yehovah, whom ye seek, shall
suddenly come into his temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, whom ye take
pleasure in: behold, he is coming, saith Yehovah Almighty.
3:2 And who will abide the day of his coming? or who will withstand at his
appearing? for he is coming in as the fire of a furnace and as the herb of
fullers.
3:3 He shall sit to melt and purify as it were silver, and as it were gold:
and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver,
and they shall offer to Yehovah an offering in righteousness.
3:4 And the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasing to Yehovah,
according to the former days, and according to the former years.
3:5 And I will draw near to you in judgment; and I will be a sift witness
against the witches, and against the adulteresses, and against them that
swear falsely by my Name, and against them that keep back the hireling's
wages, and them that oppress the widow, and afflict orphans, and that wrest
the judgment of the stranger, and fear not me, saith Yehovah Almighty.
3:6 For I am Yehovah your Elohim, and I am not changed:
3:7 but ye, the sons of Jacob, have not refrained from the iniquities of
your fathers: ye have perverted my statutes, and have not kept them. Return
to me, and I will return to you, saith Yehovah Almighty. But ye said,
Wherein shall we return?
3:8 Will a man insult Elohim? for ye insult me. But ye say, Wherein have we
insulted thee? In that the tithes and first-fruits are with you [still].
3:9 And ye do surely look off from me, and ye insult me.
3:10 The year is completed, and ye have brought all the produce into the
storehouses; but there shall be the plunder thereof in its house: return now
on this behalf, saith Yehovah Almighty, [see] if I will not open to you the
torrents of heaven, and pour out my blessing upon you, until ye are
satisfied.
3:11 And I will appoint food for you, and I will not destroy the fruit of
your land; and your vine in the field shall not fail, saith Yehovah
Almighty.
3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a desirable
land, saith Yehovah Almighty.
3:13 Ye have spoken grievous words against me, saith Yehovah. Yet ye said,
Wherein have we spoken against thee?
3:14 Ye said, He that serves Elohim labours in vain: and what have we gained in
that we have kept his ordinances, and in that we have walked as suppliants
before the face of Yehovah Almighty?
3:15 And now we pronounce strangers blessed; and all they who act unlawfully
are built up; and they have resisted Elohim, and [yet] have been delivered.
3:16 Thus spoke they that feared Yehovah, every one to his neighbour: and
Yehovah gave heed, and hearkened, and he wrote a book of remembrance before
him for them that feared Yehovah and reverenced his name.
3:17 And they shall be mine, saith Yehovah Almighty, in the day which I
appoint for a peculiar possession; and I will make choice of them, as a man
makes choice of his son that serves him.
3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked,
and between him that serves Elohim, and him that serves [him] not. |
3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he
shall prepare the way before me: and Yehovah, whom ye seek, shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in:
behold, he shall come, saith Yehovah of hosts.
3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he
appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall
purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may
offer unto Yehovah an offering in righteousness.
3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto Yehovah
, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness
against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false
swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the
widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right,
and fear not me, saith Yehovah of hosts.
3:6 For I am Yehovah, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not
consumed.
3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto
you, saith Yehovah of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
3:8 Will a man rob Elohim? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we
robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole
nation.
3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in
mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith Yehovah of hosts, if I will
not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there
shall not be room enough to receive it.
3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy
the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the
time in the field, saith Yehovah of hosts.
3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome
land, saith Yehovah of hosts.
3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith Yehovah. Yet ye say, What
have we spoken so much against thee?
3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve Elohim: and what profit is it that we
have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before Yehovah
of hosts?
3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set
up; yea, they that tempt Elohim are even delivered.
3:16 Then they that feared Yehovah spake often one to another: and Yehovah
hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him
for them that feared Yehovah, and that thought upon his name.
3:17 And they shall be mine, saith Yehovah of hosts, in that day when I
make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that
serveth him.
3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked,
between him that serveth Elohim and him that serveth him not. |