SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:16
Entonces los que temen al SEÑOR hablaron cada uno a su compañero; y el SEÑOR escuchó y oyó, y fue escrito libro de memoria delante de él para los que temen al SEÑOR, y para los que piensan en su Nombre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Malachi 3:16
Verse 16. They that feared the Lord] There were a few godly in the land, who, hearing the language and seeing the profligacy of the rebels above, concluded that some signal mark of God's vengeance must fall upon them; they, therefore, as the corruption increased, cleaved the closer to their Maker. There are three characteristics given of this people, viz.:- 1. They feared the Lord. They had that reverence for Jehovah that caused them to depart from evil, and to keep his ordinances. 2. They spake often one to another. They kept up the communion of saints. By mutual exhortation they strengthened each other's hands in the Lord.
3. They thought on his name. His name was sacred to them; it was a fruitful source of profound and edifying meditation. The name of God is God himself in the plenitude of his power, omniscience, justice, goodness, mercy, and truth. What a source for thinking and contemplation! See how God treats such persons: The Lord hearkened to their conversation, heard the meditations of their hearts; and so approved of the whole that a book of remembrance was written before the Lord-all their names were carefully registered in heaven. Here is an allusion to records kept by kings, Esth. vi. 1, of such as had performed signal services, and who should be the first to be rewarded.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 16. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another , etc.] Abarbinel thinks this is a continuation of the speech of the wicked; observing, that while they that work wickedness were set up, and they that tempted God escaped punishment, they that were religious, and feared God, “were destroyed one with another”, particularly by the plague; so he would have the word wrbdn rendered, which we translate, “spake often one to another”; in which sense he observes that root is used in ( Hosea 13:14 Psalm 47:3 2 Kings 11:1) but rather this is opposed unto what they said, by such, who, at the time referred to (which seems to be between the time of Christ’s coming, spoken of in the beginning of the chapter ( Malachi 3:1-6), and the destruction of Jerusalem after mentioned), feared the Lord, and served him; embraced the Messiah, and professed his name; for the fear of God takes in the whole of religious worship, both internal and external; and describes such, not that have a dread of the majesty of God, and of his judgments and wrath, or distrust his power, providence, grace, and goodness; but who have a filial and holy fear of God, a fiducial and fearless one, a reverential affection for him, and are true and sincere worshippers of him: these “spake often one to another”; of the unbelief, impiety, and profaneness of men, with great concern and lamentation; and of the great and good things they were led into the knowledge of; the everlasting love of the Father in the choice of them, and covenant with them in Christ; of redemption by the Son; of the glories of his person, and the fulness of his grace; of the work of the Spirit of God upon their souls; and of the various truths of the everlasting Gospel; and of the gracious experiences they were indulged with; and all this they said for the glory of God’s grace, and for the comforting and strengthening, and edifying, of each other’s souls: it follows, and the Lord hearkened, and heard [it] ; what they said one to another: this is spoken after the manner of men, and does not so much regard the omniscience of God, who hearkens and hears everything that is said by wicked men, as by good men; as his special regard unto, peculiar notice he takes of, and the approbation he has of his people, and of their words and actions, and even of their thoughts, as is afterwards intimated: and a book of remembrance was written before him ; in allusion to kings that keep registers, records, annals, and chronicles, as memorials of matters of moment and importance: (see Ezra 4:15) ( Esther 2:23 6:1): otherwise there is no forgetfulness in God; he bears in his own eternal mind a remembrance of the persons, thoughts, words, and actions of his people, and which he will disclose and make mention of another day; even our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God over all, and who will let the churches and world know that he is the searcher of hearts, and trier of the reins of the children of men: for them that feared the Lord , as before, and that thought upon his name ; either the name of the Father; not any particular name of his, by which he is known, but him himself; for, as Kimchi observes, his name is himself, and he himself is his name; and especially as he is in Christ, and proclaimed in him; and this is expressive of faith in him, love to him, and reverence of him: or the name of Christ; and not any particular name of his, unless it be Jesus the Saviour: but rather his person as the Son of God; his office as Mediator; and his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice: and it is not a bare thinking of him that is here intended, but such a thought of him as is accompanied with esteem and value for him, because of the dignity of his person, and the riches of his grace. The Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, “and that reverence his name”; and the Syriac version, “that praise his name”; and the Targum is, that think of the glory of his name.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 13-18 - Among the Jews at this time, some plainly discovered themselves to be children of the wicked one. The yoke of Christ is easy. But those wh work wickedness, tempt God by presumptuous sins. Judge of things a they will appear when the doom of these proud sinners comes to be executed. Those that feared the Lord, spake kindly, for preserving an promoting mutual love, when sin thus abounded. They spake one to another, in the language of those that fear the Lord, and think on his name. As evil communications corrupt good minds and manners, so goo communications confirm them. A book of remembrance was written befor God. He will take care that his children perish not with those tha believe not. They shall be vessels of mercy and honour, when the res are made vessels of wrath and dishonour. The saints are God's jewels they are dear to him. He will preserve them as his jewels, when the earth is burned up like dross. Those who now own God for theirs, he will then own for his. It is our duty to serve God with the dispositio of children; and he will not have his children trained up in idleness they must do him service from a principle of love. Even God's children stand in need of sparing mercy. All are righteous or wicked, such a serve God, or such as serve him not: all are going to heaven or to hell. We are often deceived in our opinions concerning both the one an the other; but at the bar of Christ, every man's character will be known. As to ourselves, we have need to think among which we shall have our lot; and, as to others, we must judge nothing before the time. But in the end all the world will confess that those alone were wise an happy, who served the Lord and trusted in Him __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
אז 227 נדברו 1696 יראי 3372 יהוה 3068 אישׁ 376 את 854 רעהו 7453 ויקשׁב 7181 יהוה 3068 וישׁמע 8085 ויכתב 3789 ספר 5612 זכרון 2146 לפניו 6440 ליראי 3372 יהוה 3068 ולחשׁבי 2803 שׁמו׃ 8034
