Malachi 2:16
“For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →God declares His hatred of the faithless casting-off of a spouse, calling it a covering of violence, and again urges His people to guard their spirit.
What Does Malachi 2:16 Mean?
God speaks with unusual directness: He 'hateth putting away,' the faithless casting-off of a wife. Such treachery is so serious that it is likened to one who 'covereth violence with his garment,' wearing wrongdoing as a cloak. For the third time God urges, 'take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.' The repetition presses the point home: faithfulness is won or lost in the guarding of the heart.
This verse reveals how deeply God cares about faithfulness in marriage and about the harm that betrayal inflicts. To break a covenant carelessly is no small thing in His eyes; it is a kind of violence against the one wronged. Yet the emphasis on guarding the spirit is full of hope, for it means faithfulness is something we can tend and protect before it is ever broken. God calls His people to keep their hearts watchful and their commitments whole. He honors the faithfulness He asks of us, and He stands with those who have been wronged.
In the Original Language
shalach (שָׁלַח), 'putting away' -- to send away or dismiss; here the casting-off of a spouse that God declares He hates.