Mal 2:14 | JFB | STEP | 14. Wherefore? —Why does God reject our offerings? Lord . . . witness between thee and . . . wife —(so ). of thy youth —The Jews still marry very young, the husband often being but thirteen years of age, the wife younger ( ). wife of thy covenant —not merely joined to thee by the marriage covenant generally, but by the covenant between God and Israel, the covenant-people, whereby a sin against a wife, a daughter of Israel, is a sin against God [MOORE ]. Marriage also is called "the covenant of God" ( ), and to it the reference may be ( ).

Malachi 2:14

14. Wherefore?—Why does God reject our offerings?

Lord . . . witness between thee and . . . wife—(so Ge 31:49, 50).

of thy youth—The Jews still marry very young, the husband often being but thirteen years of age, the wife younger (Pr 5:18; Isa 54:6).

wife of thy covenant—not merely joined to thee by the marriage covenant generally, but by the covenant between God and Israel, the covenant-people, whereby a sin against a wife, a daughter of Israel, is a sin against God [MOORE]. Marriage also is called "the covenant of God" (Pr 2:17), and to it the reference may be (Ge 2:24; Mt 19:6; 1Co 7:10).