Marg Mows posted a concise article (with the same title as this post) with the correct interpretation of Malachi 2:16. An extract is below.
Until today, I understood Malachi 2:16a as saying, “’For I hate divorce,’ says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘and him who covers his garment with wrong,’ says the LORD of hosts” (NASB). But I’ve discovered that traditional translations of this verse into English may be incorrect.
In the Hebrew of Malachi 2:16, God does not say, “I hate …” (first person singular); rather God says, “He [who] hates …” (third-person masculine singular). This “he” seems to be the man who hates and divorces his wife, and in so doing behaves unjustly towards her. (A divorced woman in Bible times could be very vulnerable and disadvantaged.)[1]
The Hebrew of Malachi 2:16 is not straightforward.[2] The Septuagint, the ancient Greek version of the Old Testament, is somewhat easier to understand and uses second person language: “If you hate [and] send away/divorce …” which makes it clearer that God is speaking about someone else and God is not the one doing the hating.[3]
After those paragraphs, she quotes three current translations that support her understanding of the original Hebrew. Extracts of those paragraphs are below.
Better Translations of Malachi 2:16
The following relatively recent English translations have broken with the traditional rendering of Malachi 2:16.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB):
“If he hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord God of Israel, “he covers his garment with injustice,” says the Lord of Armies. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously.
English Standard Version (ESV):
“For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”
New International Version 2011 (NIV):
“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,” says the LORD Almighty. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Several relatively recent English translations of Malachi 2:16 can be viewed here. [Bible Hub]
ASV:
16 For I hate putting away, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, and him that covereth his garment with violence, saith Jehovah of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
KJV:
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.
NRSVUE:
16 For I hate[f] divorce, says the Lord, the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless.
