Malachi 1

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

The burden of the word of Jehovah to Israel by 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,

I have loved you, says Jehovah. Yet ye say, How have thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, says Jehovah. Yet I loved Jacob,

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

but Esau I regarded inferior, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.

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.

Whereas Edom says, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places, thus says Jehovah of hosts: They shall build, but I will throw down, and men shall call them the border of wickedness, and the people against whom Jehovah has indignation 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.’”

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, Jehovah be magnified beyond the border 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?’

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 Jehovah of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. And ye say, How have we despised thy 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.

Ye offer polluted bread upon my altar. And ye say, How have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah 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.

And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, ye say, It is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, It is no evil! Present it now to thy governor. Will he be pleased with thee, or will he accept thy person? says Jehovah 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.

Ye say, And now, I pray you, entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us; this has been by your means. Will he accept any of your persons? says Jehovah 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.

Oh that there was among you who would shut the doors, that ye might not kindle my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says Jehovah of hosts, nor will I accept an offering at your hand.

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.

For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles. And in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name is great among the Gentiles, says Jehovah 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.’

But ye profane it, in that ye say, The table of Jehovah is polluted. And the fruit of it, even 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.

Ye also say, Behold, what a weariness it is! And ye have sniffed at it, says Jehovah of hosts. And ye have brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame, and the sick. Thus ye bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand? says Jehovah.

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.

But cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished thing. For I am a great King, says Jehovah of hosts, and my name is feared among the Gentiles.