Original Word: מַלְאָכִי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Mal`akiy
Pronunciation: mah-lah-KEE
Phonetic Spelling: (mal-aw-kee')
KJV: Malachi
NASB: Malachi
Word Origin: [from the same as H4397 (מַלאָך - angel)]

1. ministrative
2. Malaki, a prophet

Malachi

From the same as mal'ak; ministrative; Malaki, a prophet -- Malachi.

see HEBREW mal'ak

Word Origin
from the same as malak
Definition
"my messenger," an Isr. prophet
NASB Translation
Malachi (1).

מַלְאָכִי apparently proper name, masculine Malachi, Malachi 1:1, but in fact not historical name of author, nor pseudonym for Ezra; probably a conjecture based on Malachi 3:1; so many moderns; see Dr^Intr.

Name and Meaning

Malachi, “my messenger,” appears as a personal name only once (Malachi 1:1). The title encapsulates the prophet’s mission: to serve as Yahweh’s herald and to summon Israel to renewed covenant devotion. Within the book itself the word “messenger” recurs (Malachi 2:7; 3:1), turning the prophet’s name into a living illustration of his calling.

Historical Setting

Malachi ministered in the Persian period, after the temple’s reconstruction (completed 515 BC) but before the reforms of Nehemiah concluded (circa 430 BC). Temple worship was functioning, yet spiritual lethargy had set in. Priests offered blemished sacrifices, marriages with pagans diluted covenant holiness, divorce became commonplace, and tithes were neglected. The external stability of post-exile life masked an internal drift from wholehearted obedience.

Prophet’s Call and Message

The book opens with “The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi” (Malachi 1:1). Six disputations follow, each framed as a dialogue between the LORD and His people. The prophetic style lays bare Israel’s complaints, reveals the LORD’s answers, and presses for repentance.

• Divine love declared yet doubted (Malachi 1:2–5)
• Priestly corruption exposed (Malachi 1:6-2:9)
• Covenant faithlessness in marriage rebuked (Malachi 2:10-16)
• Justice questioned, judgment promised (Malachi 2:17-3:5)
• Tithes withheld, blessings withheld (Malachi 3:6-12)
• The righteous remnant distinguished from the wicked (Malachi 3:13-4:6)

Key Themes

1. Covenant Fidelity

Malachi presses for wholehearted worship and ethical integrity. “For I am the LORD, I do not change; therefore you, O descendants of Jacob, are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6). God’s unchanging character grounds His call to covenant faithfulness.

2. Sanctity of Worship

Priests are charged with dishonoring the altar by offering defective animals (Malachi 1:8-14). Genuine reverence is measured not by ritual alone but by the quality of sacrifice, revealing the heart’s true valuation of God.

3. Marriage and Family Integrity

Mixed marriages and rampant divorce violated covenant solidarity. “The LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth… So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not break faith” (Malachi 2:14-16).

4. Stewardship and Generosity

The withheld tithe symbolizes distrust. The LORD’s invitation—“Test Me in this… see if I will not open the windows of heaven” (Malachi 3:10)—reveals His readiness to bless obedience materially and spiritually.

5. Eschatological Hope

Malachi anticipates both a preparatory messenger and the climactic “day of the LORD.” “Behold, I will send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me” (Malachi 3:1). The closing promise of Elijah’s return (Malachi 4:5-6) links directly to New Testament fulfillment.

Relation to the New Testament

New Testament writers repeatedly draw from Malachi:

• Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke 7:27 cite Malachi 3:1 to identify John the Baptist as the forerunner.
• Luke 1:17 combines Malachi 4:5-6 with Isaiah to describe John’s Elijah-like ministry.
• Romans 9:13 quotes Malachi 1:2-3 concerning divine election.
• Hebrews 12:29 echoes Malachi’s theme of consuming fire and acceptable worship.
• Revelation 22:12 mirrors Malachi 3:17-18 in promising reward for the righteous.

Thus Malachi bridges the Testaments, closing Old Testament prophecy with an open door to Gospel fulfillment.

Legacy in Jewish and Christian Tradition

Among the Twelve Minor Prophets, Malachi stands last in canonical order, providing a literary and theological hinge to the New Covenant era. Jewish tradition reads Malachi’s rebuke of shallow worship during synagogue services preceding the Passover season, while Christian lectionaries often pair Malachi with Advent readings that anticipate the coming of Christ.

Practical Lessons for the Church

• Worship must be wholehearted, offering God the best, not the leftovers.
• Spiritual leaders bear accountability for doctrinal purity and moral example.
• Covenant commitments—marriage vows, financial stewardship, communal justice—remain central expressions of faith.
• God’s promises of judgment and salvation motivate both reverence and hope as believers await the final “day of the LORD.”

In reminding a complacent post-exilic community that the Messenger and the Lord Himself are on the way, Malachi’s lone appearance as “my messenger” continues to summon every generation to repent, to revere, and to rejoice in the unchanging faithfulness of God.

מַלְאָכִֽי׃ מלאכי׃ mal’āḵî mal·’ā·ḵî malaChiInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts