translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: MAL

label: NET study note

text: Beginning with 4:1 , the verse numbers through 4:6 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text ( BHS ), with 4:1 ET = 3:19 HT, 4:2 ET = 3:20 HT, etc., through 4:6 ET = 3:24 HT. Thus the book of Malachi in the Hebrew Bible has only three chapters, with 24 verses in ch. .


text: This day is the well-known “day of the Lord ” so pervasive in OT eschatological texts (see Joel 2:30-31 ; Amos 5:18 ; Obad 15 ). For the believer it is a day of grace and salvation; for the sinner, a day of judgment and destruction.


text: The point of the metaphor of healing wings is unclear. The sun seems to be compared to a bird. Perhaps the sun’s “wings” are its warm rays. “Healing” may refer to a reversal of the injury done by evildoers (see Mal 3:5 ).


text: Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai (cf. Exod 3:1 ).


text: I will send you Elijah the prophet . In light of the ascension of Elijah to heaven without dying ( 2 Kgs 2:11 ), Judaism has always awaited his return as an aspect of the messianic age (see, e.g., John 1:19-28 ). Jesus identified John the Baptist as Elijah, because he came in the “spirit and power” of his prototype Elijah ( Matt 11:14; 17:1-13 ; Mark 9:2-13 ; Luke 9:28-36 ).