Malachi 2:7
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
Study Note
Study Note
The Levitical ideal — 'the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts' — defines the priestly vocation as primarily instructional rather than merely ritual, and grounds this in the title 'messenger' (mal'ach). The Hebrew 'mal'ach' is the same word as 'angel' and 'Malachi' (the book's title), creating a punning identification between the ideal priest, the prophetic messenger, and the divine angelic messenger — all bearing authoritative divine teaching. Hebrews 5:1-4's theology of the high priest as appointed for others and Revelation 1:20's angels (messengers) of the churches draw on the same messenger-theology. Malachi 2:8's contrast — 'ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law' — uses the ideal to indict the actual, showing that the priestly calling was uniquely catastrophic when betrayed.
Other Translations
For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.
For the lips of a priest preserve knowledge, And law they do seek from his mouth, For a messenger of Jehovah of Hosts he <FI>is<Fi> .
For it is right for the priest's lips to keep knowledge, and for men to be waiting for the law from his mouth: for he is the servant sent from the Lord of armies.
Cross References
And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before …
Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the …
And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord thy God hath chosen to minister …
According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall …
If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and …
And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of the Lord: and they did eat …
And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about …
And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, …
For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach …
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt …