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The Prophet Malachi

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- Chapter 1 -

(Genesis 25:19–28; Romans 9:6–29)
1
This is the burden of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi:(a)
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,(b) and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.(c)”
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.’”

The Polluted Offerings

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 (d)?’ 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.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 Malachi means My messenger.
(b)1:3 Cited in Romans 9:13
(c)1:3 Or to the serpents of the wilderness or to the dragons of the wilderness
(d)1:7 LXX defiled it
(Genesis 25:19–28; Romans 9:6–29)
1
A revelation, the LORD’s(a) word to Israel by Malachi.
2
“I have loved you,” says the LORD. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the LORD, “Yet I loved Jacob;
3
but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.”
4
Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places,” the LORD of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom the LORD shows wrath forever.”
5
Your eyes will see, and you will say, “The LORD is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”

The Polluted Offerings

6
“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the LORD of Armies to you priests who despise my name. “You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’
7
You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘The LORD’s table is contemptible.’
8
When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says the LORD of Armies.
9
“Now, please entreat the favor of God,(b) that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says the LORD of Armies.
10
“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
11
For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations,” says the LORD of Armies.
12
“But you profane it when you say, ‘The LORD’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’
13
You say also, ‘Behold,(c) what a weariness it is!’ And you have sniffed at it”, says the LORD of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says the LORD.
14
“But the deceiver is cursed who has in his flock a male, and vows and sacrifices to the Lord (d) a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says the LORD of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”

Footnotes

(a)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
(b)1:9 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
(c)1:13 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(d)1:14 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
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