Malachi 2:4

2:4 Then you will know that I sent this commandment to you so that my covenant ¹  may continue to be with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Malachi 3:11

3:11 Then I will stop the plague ²  from ruining your crops, ³  and the vine will not lose its fruit before harvest,” says the Lord who rules over all.

Malachi 4:4

Restoration through the Lord

4:4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, to whom at Horeb ⁴  I gave rules and regulations for all Israel to obey. ⁵ 

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¹ sn My covenant refers to the priestly covenant through Aaron and his grandson Phinehas (see Exod 6:16-20; Num 25:10-13; Jer 33:21-22). The point here is to contrast the priestly ideal with the disgraceful manner in which it was being carried out in postexilic times.

² tn Heb “the eater” (אֹכֵל, ’okhel), a general term for any kind of threat to crops and livelihood. This is understood as a reference to a locust plague by a number of English versions: NAB, NRSV “the locust”; NIV “pests”; NCV, TEV “insects.”

³ tn Heb “and I will rebuke for you the eater and it will not ruin for you the fruit of the ground.”

⁴ sn Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai (cf. Exod 3:1).

⁵ tn Heb “which I commanded him in Horeb concerning all Israel, statutes and ordinances.”