a precedent as to inheritance. (Num. 36:7-9) They later presented themselves before Eleazar the priest and Joshua, cited Jehovah’s command, and were given “an inheritance in the midst of the brothers of their father.”—Josh. 17:3, 4.

2. A descendant of Manasseh whose mother was Hammolecheth. It is not stated whether this was a son or a daughter.—1 Chron. 7:17, 18.

MAHLI

(Mahʹli) [sick, weak, or perhaps, shrewd, cunning].

1. Levi’s grandson, a son of Merari and brother of Mushi. (Ex. 6:16, 19; 1 Chron. 6:19, 29; 24:26) Mahli was the father of Eleazar and Kish and the family head of the Mahlites. (Num. 3:20, 33; 1 Chron. 23:21; 24:28, 29) His descendant Sherebiah, referred to as “a man of discretion from the sons of Mahli,” returned to Jerusalem with Ezra.—Ezra 8:18.

2. A Levite, the son of Mushi, and hence the nephew of Merari’s son Mahli.—1 Chron. 6:47; 23:23; 24:26, 30.

MAHLITES

(Mahʹlites).

Levites who were descendants of Merari’s son Mahli.—Num. 3:17, 20, 33; 26:58.

MAHLON

(Mahʹlon) [sickly, invalid].

Son of Elimelech and Naomi. During a famine in the days of the Judges, he moved with his parents from Bethlehem in Judah to Moab. There Mahlon married the Moabitess Ruth, but died childless. (Ruth 1:1-5; 4:10) Ruth returned to Judah with her mother-in-law and, complying with the law of levirate marriage, married Boaz. (Ruth 4:9, 10; Deut. 25:5, 6) The resulting family line produced David and led to Jesus Christ.—Ruth 4:22; Matt. 1:5, 6, 16.

MAHOL

(Maʹhol) [dance].

One whose sons’ wisdom, though great, was not equal to King Solomon’s. (1 Ki. 4:31) Some view the designation “sons of Mahol” to mean an association of musicians or dancers.—Compare Psalm 150:4, where the same Hebrew word is rendered “circle dance.”

MAHSEIAH

(Mah·seiʹah) [Jehovah a refuge].

Ancestor of Jeremiah’s associate Baruch and of Seraiah the quartermaster.—Jer. 32:12; 51:59.

MAKAZ

(Maʹkaz) [cutting off, end].

A place under the jurisdiction of one of Solomon’s twelve deputies. (1 Ki. 4:7, 9) Makaz is often identified with Khirbet el-Mukheizin, some ten miles (16 kilometers) W-NW of the suggested location of Beth-shemesh.

MAKHELOTH

(Mak·heʹloth) [congregated throng].

One of Israel’s wilderness encampments. (Num. 33:25, 26) It is thought by some to be represented by Kuntillet Jaraya, about twenty miles (32 kilometers) N-NW of the Gulf of Aqabah.

MAKKEDAH

(Mak·keʹdah) (place of shepherds].

A royal Canaanite city in the Shephelah. It was in the cave of Makkedah that the five kings who had allied themselves against the Gibeonites hid and were then temporarily trapped until their execution. Thereafter this cave became their common tomb, and the Israelite army under Joshua captured the city of Makkedah and devoted it to destruction. At the time of the division of the Promised Land, Makkedah was granted to the tribe of Judah.—Josh. 10:5-29; 12:7, 8, 16; 15:20, 33, 41.

The exact site of Makkedah is unknown. It has been tentatively identified with Khirbet el-Kheishum, about a mile and a half (2.4 kilometers) N-NE of the suggested location of Azekah. Extensive ruins and nearby caves mark the site.

MAKTESH

(Makʹtesh) [a mortar].

Apparently a section of Jerusalem near the Fish Gate and the second quarter. At the time of Judah’s calamity the inhabitants of Maktesh were foretold to howl, since commercial activities would cease there.—Zeph. 1:1, 2, 10, 11.

The Hebrew word makh·teshʹ refers to a “mortar” (Prov. 27:22) or a “mortar-shaped hollow” (Judg. 15:19) and, therefore, some translations use “Mortar” instead of “Maktesh” as a proper name. (AT, JB, RS) The Targum identifies Maktesh with the Kidron Valley, the deep ravine along Jerusalem’s eastern wall. But this valley is not in the vicinity of the more westerly “Fish Gate” and the “second quarter.” For this reason Maktesh is generally thought to denote a part of the Central (or Tyropean) Valley, perhaps its upper portion.

MALACHI

(Malʹa·chi) [my messenger].

A Hebrew prophet and Bible writer. (Mal. 1:1) The Scriptures furnish no information as to his ancestry and personal life. What is known about him is revealed in the book bearing his name. He is therein shown to have been a man of great zeal for the name and worship of Jehovah.

In the name “Malachi” the final letter, “i,” is possibly an abbreviation of the divine name Jehovah. If so, it may have the same meaning as Malachijah, which is “Messenger [Angel] of Jehovah.”

MALACHI, BOOK OF

The final book of the Hebrew Scriptures in modern English Bibles. In the traditional Jewish canon, it is placed last among the writings of the so-called “Minor Prophets,” but before the Writings (Hagiographa). It constitutes a pronouncement of Jehovah regarding Israel by means of Malachi.—Mal. 1:1; see MALACHI.

CIRCUMSTANCES IN MALACHI’S TIME

At the time Malachi prophesied, a deplorable situation existed among the priests. Contrary to the Law, they were accepting lame, blind and sick animals for sacrifice on Jehovah’s altar. (Mal. 1:8; Lev. 22:19; Deut. 15:21) They failed to give proper direction and instruction to the people, causing many to stumble. (Mal. 2:7, 8) When judging matters, they showed partiality. (Mal. 2:9) All this had a bad effect on the Israelites in general, causing them to view Jehovah’s service as being of little value. (Mal. 3:14, 15) This is apparent from the fact that the Israelites did not support the temple by paying their tithes. So far had they fallen from their devotion to Jehovah that apparently they were divorcing their wives to marry women worshiping false gods. Also, sorcery, adultery, lying, fraud and oppression came to exist among the Israelites. (Mal. 2:11, 14-16; 3:5, 8-10) For this reason Jehovah gave advance warning of his coming to his temple for judgment. (Mal. 3:1-6) At the same time he encouraged wrongdoers to repent, saying: “Return to me, and I will return to you.”—Mal. 3:7.

TIME OF COMPOSITION

Internal evidence provides a basis for dating the completion of the book of Malachi. It was written after the Babylonian exile, for the Israelites were under the administration of a governor. Worship was carried on at the temple, indicating that it had been rebuilt. (Mal. 1:7, 8; 2:3, 13; 3:8-10) This points to a period later than that of Haggai (520 B.C.E.) and Zechariah (520-518 B.C.E.), as these prophets were active in urging the Israelites to complete the temple. (Ezra 5:1, 2; 6:14, 15) Israel’s neglect of true worship and its failure to adhere to God’s law appear to fit conditions existing when Nehemiah again arrived at Jerusalem sometime after the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes (c. 443 B.C.E.). (Compare Malachi 1:6-8; 2:7, 8, 11, 14-16; Nehemiah 13:6-31.) Therefore, like the book of Nehemiah, the book of Malachi may well have been committed to writing after 443 B.C.E.