--- title: "Clarke" description: "illicit alliances, 10-17. See Nehemiah 10:30; Nehemiah 13:27-30, &c. NOTES ON CHAP. II Verse Malachi 2:2. If ye will not hear — What I have spoken, la" image: "/images/missing.jpg" url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/malachi/2" --- *illicit alliances*, 10-17. See [Nehemiah 10:30](../../../kjv/nehemiah/10/30); [Nehemiah 13:27-30](../../../kjv/nehemiah/13/27-30), &c. NOTES ON CHAP. II Verse [Malachi 2:2](../../../kjv/malachi/2/2). ***If ye will not hear*** — What I have spoken, *lay it to* *heart*, and let it sink down into your souls. ***Give glory unto my name*** — That *honour* that is due to me as a *Father*, and that *fear* that belongs to me as a *Master*, [Malachi 1:6](../../../kjv/malachi/1/6). ***I will even send a curse upon you*** — I will dispense no more good. ***I will curse your blessings*** — Even that which *ye have* already shall not profit you. When temporal blessings are not the means of leading us to God and heaven, they will infallibly lead us to hell. In speaking of the abuse of temporal blessings, one of our old poets, in his homely phrase, expresses himself thus, - Thus God's best gifts, usurped by wicked ones, To poison turn by their con-ta-gi-ons. ***Yea, I have cursed them already*** — This may refer, generally, to *unfruitful seasons*; or, particularly, to a *dearth* that appears to have happened about this time. See [Haggai 1:6-11](../../../kjv/haggai/1/6-11). Verse [Malachi 2:3](../../../kjv/malachi/2/3). ***Behold, I will corrupt your seed*** — So as to render it unfruitful. *Newcome* translates, - "I will take away from you the shoulder." This was the part that belonged to the priest, [Leviticus 7:32](../../../kjv/leviticus/7/32); [Deuteronomy 18:3](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/18/3). ***Spread dung upon your faces*** — Instead of *receiving* a sacrifice at your hands, I will throw your offerings back into your faces. Here God shows his *contempt* for *them* and their offerings. Verse [Malachi 2:4](../../../kjv/malachi/2/4). ***This commandment*** — That in the *first* verse; to drive such priests from his presence and his service. ***That my covenant might be with Levi*** — I gave the priesthood and the service of my altar to that tribe. Verse [Malachi 2:5](../../../kjv/malachi/2/5). ***My covenant was with him of life and peace*** — These are the *two* grand blessings given to men by the NEW *Covenant*, which was shadowed by the OLD. To man, excluded from the favour of God, and sentenced to death because of sin, God gave ברית *berith*, a *covenant sacrifice*, and this secured *life*-exemption from the death deserved by transgressors; communication of that *inward* *spiritual life* given by Christ, and issuing in that *eternal life* promised to all his faithful disciples. And, as it secured *life*, so it gave *peace*, prosperity, and happiness; *peace* between God and man, between man and man, and between man and his own conscience. Verse [Malachi 2:6](../../../kjv/malachi/2/6). ***The law of truth was in his mouth*** — See the qualifications of Levi: 1. "He feared me;" he was my sincere worshipper. 2. "He was afraid;" he acted as in the presence of a *just* and holy God, and acted *conscientiously* in all that he did. 3. "My law of truth was ever in his mouth; " by this he directed his own conduct and that of others. 4. "No iniquity; " nothing contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded "from his lips." 5. "He walked with me in peace;" he lived in such a way as to keep up union with me. 6. "He did turn many away from iniquity;" by his upright administration, faithful exhortations, and pious walk, he became the instrument of converting many sinners. This character suits every genuine minister of God. And as the priest's *lips* should preserve knowledge, so the *people* should seek "the law at his mouth;" for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, [Malachi 2:7](../../../kjv/malachi/2/7). Verse [Malachi 2:8](../../../kjv/malachi/2/8). ***But ye are departed out of the way*** — Ye are become impure yourselves, and ye have led others into iniquity. Verse [Malachi 2:9](../../../kjv/malachi/2/9). ***Therefore have I also made you contemptible*** — The people despised you because they saw that you acted contrary to your functions. This has happened repeatedly since, to several *classes* *of priests*. Not maintaining, by *purity of life* and *soundness of* *doctrine*, the dignity of the ministerial function, they became contemptible before the people; their meager preaching was disregarded, and their persons at last cast out as a general loathing to the universe! See what happened to the truly abominable priesthood of France and Rome 1796-8. They were the *sole cause* of that *infidelity* that brought about the *revolution*. They are now partially restored; and are endeavouring to supply by *grimace, paltry superstition*, and *jesuitical cunning*, what they want in purity of morals, soundness of doctrine, and unction from God. They must mend, or look for another revolution. Mankind will no longer put up with the *chaff* of puerile and fanatical ceremonies in place of the *wheat* of God's word and worship. Verse [Malachi 2:10](../../../kjv/malachi/2/10). ***Have we not all one Father?*** — From this to [Malachi 2:16](../../../kjv/malachi/2/16) the prophet censures the *marriages* of *Israelites* with *strange* *women*, which the law had *forbidden*, [Deuteronomy 7:3](../../../kjv/deuteronomy/7/3). And also *divorces*, which seem to have been multiplied for the purpose of contracting these prohibited marriages.-*Newcome*. ***Why do we deal treacherously*** — Gain the affections of the daughter of a brother *Jew*, and then *profane the covenant* of *marriage*, held sacred among *our fathers*, by putting away this same wife and daughter! How wicked, cruel, and inhuman! Verse [Malachi 2:11](../../../kjv/malachi/2/11). ***Daughter of a strange god.*** — Of a man who worships an idol. Verse [Malachi 2:12](../../../kjv/malachi/2/12). ***The master and the scholar*** — He who teachers such doctrine, and he who follows this teaching, the Lord will cut off both the one and the other. Verse [Malachi 2:13](../../../kjv/malachi/2/13). ***Covering the altar of the Lord with tears*** — Of the poor women who, being *divorced* by cruel husbands, come to the priests, and make an appeal to God at the altar; and ye do not speak against this glaring injustice. Verse [Malachi 2:14](../../../kjv/malachi/2/14). ***Ye say, Wherefore?*** — Is the Lord angry with us? Because ye have been *witness* of the *contract* made between the parties; and when the lawless husband divorced *his wife, the wife of his youth,* *his companion*, and the *wife* of his covenant, ye did not execute on him the discipline of the law. They kept their wives till they had *passed their youth*, and then put them away, that they might get *young ones* in their place. Verse [Malachi 2:15](../../../kjv/malachi/2/15). ***And did not he make one?*** — ONE of *each kind*, Adam and Eve. *Yet had he the residue of the Spirit*; he could have made millions of pairs, and inspired them all with *living souls*. Then *wherefore one*? He made one pair from whom all the rest might proceed, that he might have a *holy offspring*; that children being a marked property of *one man* and *one woman*, proper care might be taken that they should be brought up in the discipline of the Lord. Perhaps the *holy* or *godly seed*, זרע אלהים zera Elohim, a *seed of God*, may refer to the MESSIAH. God would have the *whole* *human race* to spring from *one pair*, that Christ, springing from the *same family*, might in his sufferings taste death for every *man*; because he had that nature that was common to the *whole* *human race*. Had there been *several heads of families* in the beginning, Jesus must have been incarnated *from each of those* *heads*, else his death could have availed for those only who belonged to the *family* of which he was incarnated. ***Take heed to your spirit*** — Scrutinize the motives which induce you to put away your wives. Verse [Malachi 2:16](../../../kjv/malachi/2/16). ***For the Lord - hateth putting away*** — He abominates all such divorces, and *him* that makes them. ***Covereth violence with his garment*** — And he also *notes* those who frame idle excuses to *cover* the *violence* they have done to the wives of their youth, by putting them away, and taking others in their place, whom they *now* happen to like better, when their own wives have been worn down in domestic services. Verse [Malachi 2:17](../../../kjv/malachi/2/17). ***Ye have wearied the Lord*** — He has borne with you so long, and has been provoked so often, that he will bear it no longer. It is not fit that he should. ***Every one that doeth evil*** — Ye say that it is *right* in the sight of the Lord to put away a wife, because she has no longer found favour in the sight of her husband. And because it has not been signally punished hitherto, ye blaspheme and cry out, "Where is the God of judgment?" Were he such as he is represented, would he not speak out? All these things show that this people were horribly corrupt. The priests were bad; the prophets were bad; the Levites were bad; and no wonder that the people were irreligious, profane, profligate, and cruel. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com","name":"Real Bible Believers","description":"RBB","publisher":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/search?q={search_term_string}","query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/malachi/2#primaryimage","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","contentUrl":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/images/missing.jpg","width":640,"height":370,"caption":"Clarke's Commentary - Malachi 2"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/malachi/2#webpage","url":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/malachi/2","name":"Clarke's Commentary - Malachi 2","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/malachi/2#primaryimage"},"datePublished":null,"dateModified":null,"author":{"@id":"https://realbiblebelievers.com/#/schema/person/e966585dde703268e7f6ae890ea98509"},"description":"illicit alliances, 10-17. See Nehemiah 10:30; Nehemiah 13:27-30, &c. NOTES ON CHAP. II Verse Malachi 2:2. 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