Malachi 3:7
What does Malachi 3:7 mean?
A plain-English look at Malachi 3:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Malachi 3:7 means
God directly confronts the people's historical and ongoing disobedience, stating that they have "turned aside from mine ordinances" from the "days of your fathers." Despite their long history of straying, God graciously calls them to "Return unto me," promising that if they do so, He "will return unto you." This is a clear invitation to repentance and restoration. However, the people's dismissive response, "Wherein shall we return?" reveals their spiritual blindness and self-righteousness, indicating they do not recognize their own sin or need for repentance, effectively challenging God's indictment.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
KJV
King James Version · 1611Even 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 the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949From the days of your fathers you have been turned away from my rules and have not kept them. Come back to me, and I will come back to you, says the Lord of armies. But you say, How are we to come back?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Even from the days of your fathers Ye have turned aside from My statutes, And ye have not taken heed. Turn back unto Me, and I turn back to you, Said Jehovah of Hosts. And ye have said, `In what do we turn back?'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For from the days of your fathers you have departed from my ordinances, and have not kept them: Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And you have said: Wherein shall we return?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Since the days of your fathers have ye departed from my statutes, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith Jehovah of hosts. But ye say, Wherein shall we return?
Context
Following the declaration of God's unchanging nature, which explains Israel's continued existence, this verse directly indicts the people for their long history of straying from God's commands. It moves from general theological truth to a specific call for repentance and restoration. The people's cynical reply at the end of the verse then sets up the immediate discussion about their specific sin of robbing God, addressed in verse 8.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Deuteronomy 4:29
But from thence ye shall seek Jehovah thy God, and thou shalt find him, when thou searchest after him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
- Isaiah 55:6
Seek ye Jehovah while he may be found; call ye upon him while he is near:
- Nehemiah 1:8
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye trespass, I will scatter you abroad among the peoples:
- Nehemiah 9:16
But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
- Deuteronomy 30:1
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither Jehovah thy God hath driven thee,
- Romans 10:21
But as to Israel he saith, All the day long did I spread out my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
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