This short note exists because many English Bibles have a fourth chapter of Malachi. The guides in this series do not, because they follow the chapter divisions of the Septuagint, Brenton’s English translation, and the Coptic Orthodox Bible. In that tradition Malachi has three chapters.
The six verses printed as Malachi 4:1-6 in the NKJV are the last six verses of Hebrew chapter 3. They are the same words, in the same order. Hebrew does not reorder them against the NKJV. The only difference is the chapter number: Hebrew 3:19-24 is NKJV 4:1-6. Both end the book of Malachi on the threat of a curse.
The Septuagint does reorder the last three verses. After the Day, the Sun, and the trampling, Brenton places Elijah and the turning of hearts, then ends on “Remember the law of my servant Moses.” The Greek book still contains the blow against the earth. It does not make that blow the last line.
The NKJV Old Testament ends its first testament with Malachi 4. The Hebrew Bible does not. In the Tanakh, Malachi ends the Twelve and so ends the Prophets. The Writings still follow, and the common Jewish order finishes with Chronicles. The Coptic Old Testament likewise does not treat Malachi as the last book of Scripture.
The full Orthodox study of these verses is in the Malachi 3 guide, under 3:19-24.
How the last six verses line up
| Content | Hebrew | NKJV | Brenton / LXX / Coptic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day burning like an oven | 3:19 | 4:1 | 3:19 |
| Sun of Righteousness, healing | 3:20 | 4:2 | 3:20 |
| The wicked as ashes | 3:21 | 4:3 | 3:21 |
| Remember the Law of Moses | 3:22 | 4:4 | 3:24 (moved to the end) |
| Elijah sent before the Day | 3:23 | 4:5 | 3:22 |
| Hearts turned, lest a curse / blow | 3:24 | 4:6 | 3:23 |
Hebrew last word of Malachi: the curse. NKJV last word of Malachi: the curse. Brenton last word of Malachi: remember Moses.
NKJV text of Malachi 4, for reference
Scripture is from NKJV. It is given here only so readers using a four-chapter English Bible can find the same words.
1 “For behold, the day is coming,
Burning like an oven,
And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble.
And the day which is coming shall burn them up,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“That will leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
3 You shall trample the wicked,
For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet
On the day that I do this,”
Says the Lord of hosts.4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant,
Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel,
With the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
6 And he will turn
The hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Where to read the study
Malachi 3 - The Messenger the Lord in His Temple Refining Fire and the Sun of Righteousness