Tafsiran yang Mengutip untuk Maleakhi 3:23

What is the meaning of that covenant? The word שלום is to be understood as "complete, whole." The first covenant G'd concluded with the first Jew Abraham in Genesis 15, 1-21 contained the promise that Abraham's descendants would take possession of the lands of 10 nations all of which are named in that chapter. Even at the time when the prophet Elijah was active on earth for the first time, the lands of no more than seven of these nations had been given to the Jewish people. When G'd said in our verse הנני נותן לו את בריתי שלום, He hinted that Pinchas/Elijah would preside over the completion of the part of G'd's promise to Abraham which was still outstanding. The vision of Maleachi includes the vision of Isaiah 11,7 and 9 concerning a period when the lion will lie down with the lamb without harming it, etc. In the latter verse Isaiah predicts that from that time onwards "nothing evil or vile shall be done, for the land will be filled with devotion to the Lord, etc. etc."The reason that in our verse G'd does no longer speak of Pinchas' descendants is that when Elijah will return at that time it will be Pinchas' final appearance on earth, his task will not have to be completed by his offspring. The Torah mentions that the covenant G'd concludes with Pinchas also comprises the priesthood, giving a reason for this second covenant which is an everlasting one. By using the introductory word תחת, the Torah refers to Pinchas as also qualifying for this latter covenant on account of two things he had done or was still going to do, i.e. the jealousy he would display on behalf of G'd during the reign of Achav when the Israelites worshiped the Baal and abandoned their G'd. The reason that the Torah added the word לאלקיו here is that it alludes to the sin of idol worship. We know from Deut. 6,15 that the sin of idol worship arouses G'd's jealousy. When Elijah demonstrated the miracles of G'd on Mount Carmel in Kings I 18,39, he did not conclude until the people had exclaimed that the Lord G'd is the true G'd. This is the reason why when Elijah will appear once more prior to the coming of the Messiah it will be during a period which the prophet Maleachi described as a time when "G'd and His name will be one," the mystical dimension of "the Lord G'd is the true G'd."

A Midrashic approach based on Bereshit Rabbah 78,14. We cannot find a single reference in Scripture that Yaakov ever arrived in Se-ir. Was the truthful Yaakov then a liar? He was no liar. He referred to the time in the future of which Ovadiah 21 prophesied that the Jews, i.e. Yaakov’s descendants, would capture Mount Seir as part of the process of redemption of the Jewish people. This is why you find an allusion to this when you put together the last letters in the words אבא אל אדוני שעירה where you found that they combine to make the name אליה the harbinger of the redemption, the period when Israel will defeat Edom, Se-ir. This is a reference to Maleachi 3,23 “Here I am going to send you Eliyahu the prophet, etc.”

When Yaakov realized that in spite of Samson’s deeds of valour he was not to be Israel’s redeemer, Yaakov now expressed the hope that Gad would produce the redeemer. The word עקב refers to the tribe that “follows” that of Dan in the sequence of his blessings. He based it on Maleachi 3,23: “Here I will send you Elijah the prophet,” etc. The prophet Elijah reputedly is from Gad. Thus far Bereshit Rabbah 71,9. [The prophet Elijah was a resident of Gilead, in the territory of Gad. This does not mean that he was not also a כהן, a priest. Ed.]