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Selected Verse: Malachi 3:14 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Mal 3:14 |
Strong Concordance |
Ye have said [0559], It is vain [07723] to serve [05647] God [0430]: and what profit [01215] is it that we have kept [08104] his ordinance [04931], and that we have walked [01980] mournfully [06941] before [06440] the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635]? |
| |
King James |
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
what profit . . . that we . . . kept, &c.--(See on Mal 2:17). They here resume the same murmur against God. Job 21:14-15; Job 22:17 describe a further stage of the same skeptical spirit, when the skeptic has actually ceased to keep God's service. Psa 73:1-14 describes the temptation to a like feeling in the saint when seeing the really godly suffer and the ungodly prosper in worldly goods now. The Jews here mistake utterly the nature of God's service, converting it into a mercenary bargain; they attended to outward observances, not from love to God, but in the hope of being well paid for in outward prosperity; when this was withheld, they charged God with being unjust, forgetting alike that God requires very different motives from theirs to accompany outward observances, and that God rewards even the true worshipper not so much in this life, as in the life to come.
his ordinance--literally, what He requires to be kept, "His observances."
walked mournfully--in mournful garb, sackcloth and ashes, the emblems of penitence; they forget Isa 58:3-8, where God, by showing what is true fasting, similarly rebukes those who then also said, Wherefore have we fasted and Thou seest not? &c. They mistook the outward show for real humiliation. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Ye have said, It is vain to serve the God - o "as receiving no gain or reward for their service. This is the judgment of the world, whereby worldlings think pious, just, sincere, strict men, vain, i. e., especially when they see them impoverished, despised, oppressed, afflicted, because they know not the true goods of virtue and eternal glory, but measure all things by sight, sense and taste. Truly, if the righteous had not hope of another and better life, in vain would they afflict themselves, and bear the afflictions of others. For, as the Apostle says Co1 15:19. 'If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.' But now, hoping for another blessed and eternal life for the slight tribulations of this, we are the happiest of all men."
And we have walked mournfully - o Again they take in their mouths the words of Psalmists, that they took the garb of mourners, going about mourning before God for their country's afflictions. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Ye have said, It is vain to serve God - They strove to destroy the Divine worship; they asserted that it was vanity; that, if they performed acts of worship, they should be nothing the better; and if they abstained, they should be nothing the worse. This was their teaching to the people.
Walked mournfully - Even repentance they have declared to be useless. This was a high pitch of ungodliness; but see what follows; behold the general conclusions of these reprobates: - |
3 Wherefore have we fasted [06684], say they, and thou seest [07200] not? wherefore have we afflicted [06031] our soul [05315], and thou takest no knowledge [03045]? Behold, in the day [03117] of your fast [06685] ye find [04672] pleasure [02656], and exact [05065] all your labours [06092].
4 Behold, ye fast [06684] for strife [07379] and debate [04683], and to smite [05221] with the fist [0106] of wickedness [07562]: ye shall not fast [06684] as ye do this day [03117], to make your voice [06963] to be heard [08085] on high [04791].
5 Is it such a fast [06685] that I have chosen [0977]? a day [03117] for a man [0120] to afflict [06031] his soul [05315]? is it to bow down [03721] his head [07218] as a bulrush [0100], and to spread [03331] sackcloth [08242] and ashes [0665] under him? wilt thou call [07121] this [02088] a fast [06685], and an acceptable [07522] day [03117] to the LORD [03068]?
6 Is not this the fast [06685] that I have chosen [0977]? to loose [06605] the bands [02784] of wickedness [07562], to undo [05425] the heavy [04133] burdens [092], and to let the oppressed [07533] go [07971] free [02670], and that ye break [05423] every yoke [04133]?
7 Is it not to deal [06536] thy bread [03899] to the hungry [07457], and that thou bring [0935] the poor [06041] that are cast out [04788] to thy house [01004]? when thou seest [07200] the naked [06174], that thou cover [03680] him; and that thou hide [05956] not thyself from thine own flesh [01320]?
8 Then shall thy light [0216] break forth [01234] as the morning [07837], and thine health [0724] shall spring forth [06779] speedily [04120]: and thy righteousness [06664] shall go [01980] before [06440] thee; the glory [03519] of the LORD [03068] shall be thy rereward [0622].
1 A Psalm [04210] of Asaph [0623]. Truly God [0430] is good [02896] to Israel [03478], even to such as are of a clean [01249] heart [03824].
2 But as for me, my feet [07272] were almost [04592] gone [05186] [05186]; my steps [0838] had well nigh [0369] slipped [08210].
3 For I was envious [07065] at the foolish [01984], when I saw [07200] the prosperity [07965] of the wicked [07563].
4 For there are no bands [02784] in their death [04194]: but their strength [0193] is firm [01277].
5 They are not in trouble [05999] as other men [0582]; neither are they plagued [05060] like [05973] other men [0120].
6 Therefore pride [01346] compasseth them about as a chain [06059]; violence [02555] covereth [05848] them as a garment [07897].
7 Their eyes [05869] stand out [03318] with fatness [02459]: they have more [05674] than heart [03824] could wish [04906].
8 They are corrupt [04167], and speak [01696] wickedly [07451] concerning oppression [06233]: they speak [01696] loftily [04791].
9 They set [08371] their mouth [06310] against the heavens [08064], and their tongue [03956] walketh [01980] through the earth [0776].
10 Therefore his people [05971] return [07725] [07725] hither [01988]: and waters [04325] of a full [04392] cup are wrung out [04680] to them.
11 And they say [0559], How doth God [0410] know [03045]? and is there [03426] knowledge [01844] in the most High [05945]?
12 Behold, these are the ungodly [07563], who prosper [07961] in the world [05769]; they increase [07685] in riches [02428].
13 Verily I have cleansed [02135] my heart [03824] in vain [07385], and washed [07364] my hands [03709] in innocency [05356].
14 For all the day [03117] long have I been plagued [05060], and chastened [08433] every morning [01242].
17 Which said [0559] unto God [0410], Depart [05493] from us: and what can the Almighty [07706] do [06466] for them?
14 Therefore they say [0559] unto God [0410], Depart [05493] from us; for we desire [02654] not the knowledge [01847] of thy ways [01870].
15 What is the Almighty [07706], that we should serve [05647] him? and what profit [03276] should we have, if we pray [06293] unto him?
17 Ye have wearied [03021] the LORD [03068] with your words [01697]. Yet ye say [0559], Wherein have we wearied [03021] him? When ye say [0559], Every one that doeth [06213] evil [07451] is good [02896] in the sight [05869] of the LORD [03068], and he delighteth [02654] in them; or, Where is the God [0430] of judgment [04941]?
19 If [1487] in [1722] this [5026] life [2222] only [3440] we have hope [1679] [2070] in [1722] Christ [5547], we are [2070] of all [3956] men [444] most miserable [1652].