1:1 An oracle: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.
1:2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. “But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’ “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” the LORD says. “Yet I have loved Jacob,
1:3 but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
1:4 Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the LORD Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the LORD.
1:5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great is the LORD–even beyond the borders of Israel!’
1:6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD Almighty. “It is you, O priests, who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
1:7 “You place defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ “By saying that the LORD’S table is contemptible.
1:8 When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the LORD Almighty.
1:9 “Now implore God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”–says the LORD Almighty.
1:10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
1:11 My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty.
1:12 “But you profane it by saying of the Lord’s table, ‘It is defiled,’ and of its food, ‘It is contemptible.’
1:13 And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it contemptuously,” says the LORD Almighty. “When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?” says the LORD.
1:14 “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the LORD Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.
1:1 The burden of the word of Jehovah to Israel through Malachi.
1:2 I have loved you, says Jehovah; but you say, How have You loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother, declares Jehovah? Yet I loved Jacob;
1:3 But Esau I hated, and I made his mountains a desolation, and gave his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.
1:4 Though Edom says, We are beaten down, but we will return and build up the waste places; thus says Jehovah of hosts, They will build up, but I will throw down; and they will be called the territory of wickedness and the people with whom Jehovah is indignant forever.
1:5 And your eyes will see it, and you yourselves will say, Jehovah is magnified over the territory of Israel.
1:6 A son honors his father, and a servant his lord. Therefore if I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am the Lord, where is My fear? says Jehovah of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, How have we despised Your name?
1:7 You offer defiled food upon My altar. And you say, How have we defiled You? In that you say, The table of Jehovah is despicable.
1:8 And when you offer what is blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer what is lame and sick, is it not evil? Present it, if you will, to your governor. Will he be pleased with you or accept your person? says Jehovah of hosts.
1:9 And now, if you will, entreat the favor of God, that He may be gracious to us. This is what is from your hand. Will He accept any of your persons? says Jehovah of hosts.
1:10 Oh, that there were even someone among you who would shut the doors so that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain! I have no delight in you, says Jehovah of hosts; and I am not pleased with the sacrifice from your hand.
1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto its setting My name will be great among the nations. And in every place incense will be offered to My name as well as a pure sacrifice, for My name will be great among the nations, says Jehovah of hosts.
1:12 But you profane it by saying, The table of the Lord is defiled, and the produce on it, its food, is despicable.
1:13 And you say, Ah, how tiresome it is! and sniff at it in contempt, says Jehovah of hosts. Then you bring what has been stolen and what is lame and what is sick, and you offer it as a sacrifice. Should I be pleased with what comes from your hand? says Jehovah.
1:14 Rather, cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male, and when he makes a vow, he offers what is blemished to the Lord; for I am a great King, says Jehovah of hosts, and My name is feared among the nations.