Malachi 3:11

11 And on your account I will keep back the locusts from wasting the fruits of your land; and the fruit of your vine will not be dropped on the field before its time, says the Lord of armies

Malachi 3:11 Meaning and Commentary

Malachi 3:11

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes
Or "eater" ^F13; the locust or caterpillar, or any such devouring creature, that eats up the herbage, corn, and fruits of trees; every such creature is under the restraint of Providence; and by a nod, a rebuke, they are easily prevented doing the mischief they otherwise would; these are the Lord's great army, which he can send and call off as he pleases, ( Joel 1:4 ) ( 2:25 ) :

and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground;
as he has done, by eating all green things, as the locust, caterpillar, and canker worm do, grass, corn, and trees:

neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the
field;
which some understand of the devourer or locust, that that should not cause the vine to be abortive, or cast its fruit before its time, or bereave it of it; but it seems best to interpret it of the vine itself not casting its fruit, as an untimely birth, by blighting and blasting winds:

saith the Lord of hosts;
who holds the winds in his fists, and will not suffer them when he pleases, any more than the locusts, to hurt the trees of the earth, ( Revelation 7:1 Revelation 7:3 ) ( 9:4 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (lkab) "comedentem", Drusius, Cocceius; "eum qui comedit", Burkius.

Malachi 3:11 In-Context

9 You are cursed with a curse; for you have kept back from me what is mine, even all this nation.

10 Let your tenths come into the store-house so that there may be food in my house, and put me to the test by doing so, says the Lord of armies, and see if I do not make the windows of heaven open and send down such a blessing on you that there is no room for it.

11 And on your account I will keep back the locusts from wasting the fruits of your land; and the fruit of your vine will not be dropped on the field before its time, says the Lord of armies

12 And you will be named happy by all nations: for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of armies.

13 Your words have been strong against me, says the Lord. And still you say, What have we said against you?