^1:6“A son naturally honors his father and a slave respects¹¹ his master. If I am your¹² father, where is my honor? If I am your master, where is my respect? The Lord who rules over all asks you this, you priests who make light of my name! But you reply, ‘How have we made light of your name?’ ^1:7You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, ‘How have we offended you?’ By treating the table¹³ of the Lord as if it is of no importance! ^1:8For when you offer blind animals as a sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and sick,¹⁴ is that not wrong as well? Indeed, try offering them¹⁵ to your governor! Will he be pleased with you¹⁶ or show you favor?” asks the Lord who rules over all.

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Footnotes

11 The verb “respects” is not in the Hebrew text but is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. It is understood by ellipsis (see “honors” in the preceding line).
12 The pronoun “your” is supplied in the translation for clarification (also a second time before “master” later in this verse).
13 The word table, here a synonym for “altar,” has overtones of covenant imagery in which a feast shared by the covenant partners was an important element (see Exod 24:11). It also draws attention to the analogy of sitting down at a common meal with the governor (v. 8).
14 Offerings of animals that were lame or sick were strictly forbidden by the Mosaic law (see Deut 15:21).
15 Heb “it” (so , ). Contemporary English more naturally uses a plural pronoun to agree with “the lame and sick” in the previous question (cf. , ).
16 The and read “with it” (which in Hebrew would be הֲיִרְצֵהוּ, hayirtsehu, a reading followed by ) rather than “with you” of the (הֲיִרְצְךָ, hayirtsékha). The (followed here by most English versions) is to be preferred because of the parallel with the following phrase פָנֶיךָ (fanekha, “receive you,” which the present translation renders as “show you favor”).

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“A son honors his father, and a slave 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 priests who show contempt for my name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’

“By offering defiled food on my altar.

“But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame 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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“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 Armies to you priests, who despise my name.”

Yet you ask, “How have we despised your name?”

“By presenting defiled food on my altar.”

“How have we defiled you?” you ask.

When you say, “The Lord’s table is contemptible.”

“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? Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord of Armies.

NLTNew Living Translation

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name!

“But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’

“You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar.

“Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’

“You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master; but if I am a father, where is my honor, and if I am a master, where is my reverence?” says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. “But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ You are presenting defiled food on my altar! But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying that the table of Yahweh is despised! When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer the lame and the one who is ill, is that not wrong? Present it, please, to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Will he show you favor?” says Yahweh of hosts.

KJV 1900King James Version

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?

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.

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.

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