Malachi 3:16

Malachi 3:16

Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

a. NLT: Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other, and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name.

b. NIV: Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.

c. YLT: Then have those fearing Jehovah spoken one to another, And Jehovah doth attend and hear, And written is a book of memorial before Him Of those fearing Jehovah, And of those esteeming His name.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.

e. Septuagint: Thus spoke they that feared the Lord, every one to his neighbour: and the Lord gave heed, and hearkened, and he wrote a book of remembrance before him for them that feared the Lord and reverenced his name.

f. Stone Edition of Torah/Prophets/Writings: Then those who fear HASHEMspoke to one another, and HASHEM listened and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear HASHEM and those who give thought to His Name.

1. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it…”

a. Then they that feared [3373 * yare’][Strong:  fearing; morally, reverent:--afraid, fear (-ful).][Gesenius: fearing, reverent, afraid]

b. the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. spake often [1696 * dabar] [Strong: a primitive root; perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue:--answer, appoint, bid, command, commune, declare, destroy, give, name, promise, pronounce, rehearse, say, speak, be spokesman, subdue, talk, teach, tell, think, use (entreaties), utter, X well, X work.]

d. one [376 * 'iysh] [Strong: contracted for 582 (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation):--also, another, any (man), a certain, + champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-)man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), + none, one, people, person, + steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy.]

e. to another [7453 * rea`; or reya2] [Strong: from 7462; an associate (more or less close):--brother, companion, fellow, friend, husband, lover, neighbour, X (an-)other.]

f. and the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

g. hearkened [7181 * qashab] [Strong: a primitive root; to prick up the ears, i.e. hearken:--attend, (cause to) hear(-ken), give heed, incline, mark (well), regard.]

h. and heard it [8085 * shama`] [Strong: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.):--X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.]

1). In order to get a better understanding of the fear of the Lord we need to see what the Scripture says about it. The following Scriptures give a number of characteristics of the fear of the Lord that give a good well rounded definition of the fear of the Lord. The fear of the LORD is the start of gaining wisdom. It is found in those who do his commandments and it will produce in us an understanding of His word.

a).  Psalm 11:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

2). Those who do not have it despise wisdom and instruction knowledge

a).  Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

b). Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

3). Those who have the fear of the Lord hate evil.

a). Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

4). The fear of the Lord produces a strong confidence in the Lord for the believer.

a). Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

5). The fear of the Lord produces a fountain of life enabling those in Covenant with God to depart the from the snares of death.

a). Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

2. “…and a book of remembrance was written before him…”

a. and a book [5612 * cepher][Strong: properly, writing (the art or a document); by implication, a book:--bill, book, evidence, X learn(-ed) (-ing), letter, register, scroll.][Gesenius: writing, book.]

1). Books mentioned in Scripture

a). The Book of Life

(1) Revelation 20:12-15  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

(2) Exodus 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

b). The Book of Tears

(1) Psalm 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

c). The Book of Works

(1) Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

d). The Book of Remembrance

(1) Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.

b. of remembrance [2146 * zikrown][Strong: a memento (or memorable thing, day or writing):--memorial, record.]

c. was written [3789 * kathab][Strong: a primitive root; to grave, by implication, to write (describe, inscribe, prescribe, subscribe):--describe, record, prescribe, subscribe, write(-ing, -ten).]

d. before him [6440 * paniym] [Strong: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun (paneh {paw-neh'}; from 6437); the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.):--+ accept, a-(be- )fore(-time), against, anger, X as (long as), at, + battle, + because (of), + beseech, countenance, edge, + employ, endure, + enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, X him(-self), + honourable, + impudent, + in, it, look(-eth) (- s), X me, + meet, X more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), X on, open, + out of, over against, the partial, person, + please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, + regard, right forth, + serve, X shewbread, sight, state, straight, + street, X thee, X them(-selves), through (+ - out), till, time(-s) past, (un-)to(-ward), + upon, upside (+ down), with(- in, + -stand), X ye, X you.]

3. “…for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name.”

a. for them that feared [3373 * yare'] [Strong: from 3372; fearing; morally, reverent:--afraid, fear (-ful).]

b. the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

c. and that thought upon [2803 * chashab] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute:--(make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon(-ing be made), regard, think.]

d. his name [8034 * shem] [Strong: a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea of definite and conspicuous position; Compare 8064); an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character:--+ base, (in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.]