Malachi 3:1
Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:46 pm
Malachi 3:1
הִנְנִ֤י שֹׁלֵחַ֙ מַלְאָכִ֔י וּפִנָּה־דֶ֖רֶךְ לְפָנָ֑י וּפִתְאֹם֩ יָב֨וֹא אֶל־הֵיכָלֹ֜ו הָאָד֣וֹן׀ אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם מְבַקְשִׁ֗ים וּמַלְאַ֨ךְ הַבְּרִ֜ית אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֤ם חֲפֵצִים֙ הִנֵּה־בָ֔א אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
is usually translated something like, Behold, I am sending my servant and he will prepare the way before me and he will come suddenly to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold he is coming says the Lord of hosts.
I can understand that translation but I normally think of אֲשֶׁר relating to the nearest noun that it can. Following that rule I would anticipate the translation, "the messenger of the covenant in which you delight." Since I cannot find a single translation that suggests this alternative is possible I am wondering if I'm missing a clue that makes this clear.
Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy
הִנְנִ֤י שֹׁלֵחַ֙ מַלְאָכִ֔י וּפִנָּה־דֶ֖רֶךְ לְפָנָ֑י וּפִתְאֹם֩ יָב֨וֹא אֶל־הֵיכָלֹ֜ו הָאָד֣וֹן׀ אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֣ם מְבַקְשִׁ֗ים וּמַלְאַ֨ךְ הַבְּרִ֜ית אֲשֶׁר־אַתֶּ֤ם חֲפֵצִים֙ הִנֵּה־בָ֔א אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃
is usually translated something like, Behold, I am sending my servant and he will prepare the way before me and he will come suddenly to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold he is coming says the Lord of hosts.
I can understand that translation but I normally think of אֲשֶׁר relating to the nearest noun that it can. Following that rule I would anticipate the translation, "the messenger of the covenant in which you delight." Since I cannot find a single translation that suggests this alternative is possible I am wondering if I'm missing a clue that makes this clear.
Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy