You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me.
Parallel translations
- WEB You are cursed with the curse; for you rob me, even this whole nation.
- KJV Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
- NKJV You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation.
- NASB You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing Me, the entire nation of you!
- NLT You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because the whole nation robs God, they are under a curse.
Overview
Withholding from God brings the very covenant curses they were experiencing, affecting the entire nation. Their economic hardship is tied to their spiritual unfaithfulness. The verse underscores that disobedience has consequences, while preparing for the gracious invitation of the next verse to test God's overflowing generosity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Deut 28:15–19If, however, you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
- Hag 1:6–11You have planted much but harvested little. You eat but never have enough. You drink but never have your fill. You put on clothes but never get warm. You earn wages to put into a bag pierced through.”
- Mal 2:2If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to honor My name,” says the LORD of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already begun to curse them, because you are not taking it to heart.
- Hag 2:14–17Then Haggai replied, “So it is with this people and this nation before Me, declares the LORD, and so it is with every work of their hands; whatever they offer there is defiled.
- Josh 22:20Was not Achan son of Zerah unfaithful regarding what was set apart for destruction, bringing wrath upon the whole congregation of Israel? Yet it was not only Achan who perished because of his sin!’”
- Isa 43:28So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”
- Josh 7:12–13This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies, because they themselves have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from among you whatever is devoted to destruction.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The messenger who prepares the way, the sun of righteousness rising with healing, and the Lord suddenly coming to his temple set the stage for the gospel that opens with John and Jesus.
How Malachi 3:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.