Malachi 1

1 A revelation, the LORD’s word to Israel by Malachi.

The oracle of the word of Yahweh, unto Israel, —by the hand of Malachi.

2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the LORD, “Yet I loved Jacob;

I have loved you, saith Yahweh, and yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Is not Esau, brother, to Jacob? enquireth Yahweh, Yet have I loved Jacob,

3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.”

And, Esau, have I hated, — and made his mountains a desolation, and his inheritance [a dwelling] for 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.”

Whereas Edom, may say, We are laid waste, but we will again build the desolate places, Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, They, may build, but, I, will pull down, — and men shall call them, The Boundary of Lawlessness, and, The people with whom Yahweh hath indignation unto times age-abiding;

5 Your eyes will see, and you will say, “The LORD is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”

And, your own eyes, shall see, —and, ye yourselves, shall say, Yahweh, be magnified, beyond the boundary of Israel.

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?’

A son, will honour a father, and, a servant, his lord, — If then, a father, I am, where is mine honour? And, if, a lord, I am, where is my reverence? saith Yahweh of hosts— to you, ye priests, who despise my Name, and yet say, Wherein have we despised thy 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.’

In bringing near upon mine altar, polluted food, while yet ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? Because ye say, As for the table of Yahweh, a thing to be despised, it is;

8 When you offer the blind for sacrifice, is not that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is not 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.

And when ye bring near the blind as a sacrifice, [saying] —No harm! or when ye bring near the lame or the sick [saying] —No harm! Offer it, I pray you, unto thy pasha, Will he accept thee? or lift up thy countenance? saith Yahweh of hosts.

9 “Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says the LORD of Armies.

Now, therefore, pacify, I pray you, the face of GOD, that he may grant us favour, —at your hands, hath this come to pass, Will he lift up the countenances, of any of you? saith Yahweh of hosts.

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.

Who is there, even among you, that will shut the doors, so as not to set light to mine altar, for nothing? I can take no pleasure in you, saith Yahweh of hosts, and, your present, can I not accept 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.

For, from the rising of the sun, even unto the going in thereof, great is my Name among the nations, and, in every place, incense, is offered to my Name, and a pure present, —for great is my Name among the nations, saith Yahweh of hosts.

12 “But you profane it when you say, ‘The LORD’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’

But ye are profaning me, — in that ye say, As for the table of the Lord, polluted it is, and, as for his produce, contemptible is his food.

13 You say also, ‘Behold, 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.

And ye have said, Lo! what a weariness! And ye have snuffed at Me, saith Yahweh of hosts, and have brought in the torn and the lame and the sick, thus have ye brought the present, — Could I accept it at your hand? saith Yahweh.

14 “But the deceiver is cursed who has in his flock a male, and vows and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says the LORD of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”

But accursed is he that defraudeth, who, when there is in his flock a male, yet voweth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing to the Lord, for, a great king, am I, saith Yahweh of hosts, and, my Name, is revered among the nations.