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Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: LUP-MAL |
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MALACHI , the name assigned to the last book of the Old Testament in English (the last of the " prophets " in the Hebrew Bible), which according to the title (Mal. i. I) contains the " word of Yahweh to Israel by the hand of Malachi." In form the word means " my messenger." It could be explained as a contraction of Malachiah, " messenger of Yahweh "; but the Septuagint is probably right in not regarding it as a proper name (" by the hand of His messenger "). Not only do we know nothing from internal or external evidence of the existence of a prophet of this name,' but the occurrence of the word in the title is naturally explained as derived from iii. 1: " Behold, I send my messenger " (cf. ii. 7). The prophecy must, therefore, be regarded as anonymous; the title was added by the compiler' A Hebrew tradition given in the Targum of Jonathan, and approved by Jerome, identifies Malachi with Ezra the priest and scribe.who wrote similar editorial titles to the anonymous prophecies beginning Zech. ix. 1, xii. 1. The contents of the prophecy fall into a series of clearly marked sections, as in the paragraph division of the Revised Version. These apply, in various ways, the truth emphasized at the outset: Yahweh's love for Israel in contrast with his treatment of Edom (i. 2-5). Israel's response should be a proper regard for the ritual of His worship ; yet any offering, however imperfect, is thought good enough for Yahweh's altar (i. 6-14). Let the priests, who are responsible, take warning, and return to their ancient ideals (ii. 1-9). Again, the common Fatherhood of God should inspire a right relation among fellow Israelites, not such conduct as the divorce of Israelite wives in order to marry non-Israelite women (ii. Io-16).2 The prevalence of wrong-doing has provoked scepticism as to righteous judgment; but the messenger of Yahweh is at hand to purge away indifferentism from worship and immorality from conduct (ii. 6). The payment of tithes now withheld will be followed by the return of prosperity (iii. 7-12). Religion may seem useless, but Yahweh remembers His own, and will soon in open judgment distinguish them from the irreligious (iii. 13-iv. 3). The book closes with an appeal to observe the law of Moses, and with a promise that Elijah shall come before the threatened judgment.'The topics noticed clearly relate the prophecy to the period of Ezra and Nehemiah , when the Temple had been rebuilt (i. to; iii. 1, 1o), the province of Judah was under a Persian governor (i. 8), and there had been time enough for the loss of earlier enthusiasm. The majority of modern scholars are agreed that the prophet prepares for the work of those reformers (Ezra, 458; Nehemiah , 444, 432 B.C.). The abuses of which he particularly complains are such as were found rampant by Ezra and Nehemiahmarriage with foreign women (ii. 1i; cf. Ezra ix.; Neh. xiii. 23 seq.; Deut. vii. 3) and failure in payment of sacred dues (iii. 8 seq.; cf. Neh. x. 34 seq.; xiii. roseq:; Deut. xxvi. 12 seq.). The priests have fallen into contempt (ii. 9) and have neglected what is still one of their chief
message is to reassert the true relation of Israel to Yahweh, and to call for a corresponding holiness, especially in regard to questions of ritual and of marriage
2 Torrey (Ency. Bib. c. 2908) holds that the reference here is purely figurative; " Judah has dealt falsely with the wife of his youth, the covenant religion, and is wedding a strange cult." But he assigns the book to the 4th century. ' This closing prophecy may possibly be a later addition (so Marti) rounding off the prophetic canon by reference to the two great names of Moses and Elijah, and their characteristic activities. In this case, " Elijah " will represent an early interpretation (cf. Ecclus. xlviii. to) of the " messenger," originally conceived as a purely ideal figure. The only other passage in the book whose originality is not generally accepted is that referring to mixed marriages (ii. II, 12). It is the Deuteronomic law that is most familiar to him, as appears from his use of the name Horeb
Levites
' Cf. Stade's reconstruction, G.V.I. ii. 128-138. the brotherhood of all Israelites under their one Father (ii. so), not merely as a ground of separation from the heathen, but as inconsistent with the selfish and cruel freedom of divorce current in his time .3 The book is a significant landmark in the religious history of Israel. Its emphasis on the observance of ritual finds fullest development in the Priestly Code, subsequently promulgated; its protest against foreign marriages is made effective through the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah;' the influence of its closing words on later expectation is familiar to every reader of the new Testament.5 The style of Malachi, like his argument, corresponds in its generally prosaic character to that transformation or decay of prophecy which began with Ezekiel; and Ewald rightly called attention to the fact that the conduct of the argument already shows traces of the dialectic manner of the schools. Yet there is a simple dignity in the manner not unworthy of a prophet, and rising from time to time to poetical rhythm. End of Article: MALACHI If you wish, you can link directly to this article.
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