Malachi 3:10
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord 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.
Study Note
Study Note
The divine challenge — 'bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need' — is unique in the Hebrew Bible for explicitly inviting Israel to test God. The 'storehouse' (bet ha-otzar) refers to the temple storerooms where tithes supported Levites and temple service (Nehemiah 10:38-39), making the failure to tithe a practical breakdown of the covenant community's support system. The metaphor of 'windows of heaven' opening echoes Genesis 7:11 (the flood) but reverses its significance: rather than destructive water, the opening of heaven brings overflowing agricultural provision. The verse has been the primary text in Christian tithing theologies and debates about whether Malachi's agricultural blessing promises translate into new covenant financial categories.
Other Translations
Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah 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.
Bring in all the tithe unto the treasure-house, And there is food in My house; When ye have tried Me, now, with this, Said Jehovah of Hosts, Do not I open to you the windows of heaven? Yea, I have emptied on you a blessing till there is no space.
Let your tenths come into the store-house so that there may be food in my house, and put me to the test by doing so, says the Lord of armies, and see if I do not make the windows of heaven open and send down such a blessing on you that there is no room for it.
Cross References
And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service …
The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his …
And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the …
And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little …
And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, …
Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord …
Also of the sons of Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their cities, in …
Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the Levites, that …
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: