Malachi 1

The Lord’s Love for Israel

1An oracle: ^aThe word of the Lord ^bto Israel through ^cMalachi. ^d

²“I have loved you,” ^esays the Lord.

But you ask: “How have You loved us?”

“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” ^fThis is the Lord’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob, ³but I hated Esau. ^gI turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to the desert jackals.” ^h

⁴Though Edom says: “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild ⁱthe ruins,” the Lord of Hosts says this: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called a wicked country ^jand the people the Lord has cursed ^kforever. ^l5Your own eyes will see this, and you yourselves will say, ‘The Lord is great, even beyond ^mthe borders of Israel.’ ⁿ

Disobedience of the Priests

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? ^osays Yahweh of Hosts to you priests, who despise My name.”

Yet you ask: “How have we despised Your name?”

⁷“By presenting defiled food on My altar.”

You ask: “How have we defiled You?” ^p

When you say: “The Lord’s table is contemptible.” ^q

⁸“When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong? ^rBring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord of Hosts. ⁹“And now ask for God’s favor. Will He be gracious to us? ^sSince this has come from your hands, will He show any of you favor?” ^tasks the Lord of Hosts. ¹⁰“I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, ^uso you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar! ^vI am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Hosts, “and I will accept ^wno offering from your hands. ^x

¹¹“For My name will be great among the nations, ^yfrom the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense ^zand pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,” ^asays Yahweh of Hosts.

¹²But you are profaning it ^bwhen you say: “The Lord’s table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible.” ¹³You also say: “Look, what a nuisance!” “And you scorn ^cit,” ^desays the Lord of Hosts. “You bring stolen, ^fglame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?” asks the Lord.

¹⁴“The deceiver is cursed who has an acceptable male in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. ^hFor I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “and My name ⁱwill be feared among the nations.