Malachi 1

1 This is the burden of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi:

2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved,

3 but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”

4 Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever.

5 You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’

7 By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible.

8 When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

9 “But ask now for God’s favor. Will He be gracious? Since this has come from your hands, will He show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

10 “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

11 For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.

12 “But you profane it when you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is contemptible.’

13 You also say: ‘Oh, what a nuisance!’ And you turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Hosts. “You bring offerings that are stolen, lame, or sick! Should I accept these from your hands?” asks the LORD.

14 “But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.

1 ¶ The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? [Was] not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

6 ¶ A son honoureth [his] father, and a servant his master: if then I [be] a father, where [is] mine honour? and if I [be] a master, where [is] my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD [is] contemptible.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, [is it] not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, [is it] not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

10 Who [is there] even among you that would shut the doors [for nought]? neither do ye kindle [fire] on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name [shall be] great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense [shall be] offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name [shall be] great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD [is] polluted; and the fruit thereof, [even] his meat, [is] contemptible.

13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness [is it]! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought [that which was] torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

14 But cursed [be] the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I [am] a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name [is] dreadful among the heathen.

1 This is the burden which the LORD speaketh against Israel by Malachi.

2 I love you, saith the LORD. Say ye, Wherewith lovest thou us? Is not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD; neither have I loved Jacob.

3 And hated Esau, and made his mountains desolate, and his inheritance a desolation to the dragon.

4 And if Edom shall say: We are ruined, but we will build again the wilderness: thus saith the LORD of hosts; If they build, I will destroy: and it shall be called the condemned border, and a people against whom the LORD is wroth for ever.

5 This shall your eyes see, and shall say, The LORD is glorious in the borders of Israel.

6 A son shall honour his father, and a servant his lord. Am I then father, where is my honour? Am I lord, where do men fear me? saith the LORD of hosts unto you priests that despise my name. Say ye, Wherewithal do we despise thy name?

7 In that ye offer unclean bread upon mine altar. Then say ye, Wherewithal do we offer unclean things unto thee? With this ye say, The LORD'S table is despised.

8 And if ye offer the blind, it shall not be called evil: neither if ye offer the lame, or the sick, it shall not be called evil. Bring it to your prince. What matter if thou please him, or if he regard thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

9 Pray ye therefore God that he may be gracious unto us. For these things are done of you. Think ye that he will look upon your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

10 Who is there among you that shutteth a door? Ye kindle no fire upon mine altar in vain. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts; and the meat offering of your hands is not acceptable unto me.

11 But from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be magnified among the heathen: and in every place incense shall be burned unto my name, and a pure meat offering offered: for my name shall be magnified among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

12 But ye profane it, saying, The LORD'S table is unholy, and his sacrifice is despised with his meat.

13 And ye say, Behold, it is but trouble; and ye cast it to the winds, saith the LORD of hosts. And ye offer the spoiled, and the lame, and the sick, and then offer meat offerings. Shall these things please me at your hand? saith the LORD.

14 Cursed be the man of advantage that hath a male in his flock, and when he voweth a vow, he offereth an unprofitable one unto the LORD. For I am a great king, saith the LORD of hosts; and my name is terrible among the heathen.