Malachi 1

1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the hand of Malachi.

The prophecy of the word of Jehovah, concerning Israel, by Malachi.

2 I have loved you, says the Lord, and you have said, “In what way have you loved us?” Was not Esau brother to Jacob, says the Lord? And have I not loved Jacob,

I have loved you, saith Jehovah. But ye say, “Wherein hast thou loved us?” Was not Esau Jacob's brother, saith Jehovah? Yet I loved Jacob,

3 but held hatred for Esau? And I have set his mountains in solitude, and his inheritance with the serpents of the desert.

And Esau I hated; And I made his mountains a desolation, And his inheritance to be habitations of the desert.

4 But if Idumea will say, “We have been destroyed, but when we return, we will build up what has been destroyed,” thus says the Lord of hosts: They will build up, and I will destroy. And they will be called “The limits of impiety,” and, “The people with whom the Lord has been angry, even to eternity.”

Although Edom say, “We are ruined, Yet will we build again the desolate places.” Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They may build, but I will throw down; And men shall call them “The impious land, The people against whom Jehovah hath indignation forever.”

5 And your eyes will see. And you will say, “May the Lord be magnified beyond the limits of Israel.”

And your eyes shall see it, and ye shall say, “Great is Jehovah beyond the borders of Israel!”

6 The son honors the father, and the servant his master. If, therefore, I am Father, where is my honor? And if I am Master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. And you have said, “In what way, have we despised your name?”

A son honoreth his father, And a servant his master; If I, then, be a father, where is mine honor? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith Jehovah of hosts to you, ye priests that despise my name. Ye say, “Wherein do we despise thy name?”

7 You offer polluted bread upon my altar, and you say, “In what way, have we polluted you?” In that you say, “The table of the Lord has been despised.”

Ye bring polluted food to mine altar. And ye say, “Wherein do we pollute thee?” In that ye say, “The table of Jehovah is contemptible.”

8 If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is this not evil? And if you offer the lame and the sick, is this not evil? Offer it to your leader, if he will be pleased with it, or if he will accept your face, says the Lord of hosts.

For when ye bring the blind for sacrifice, [[ye say, ]] “It is not evil.” And when ye offer the lame and the sick, [[Ye say, ]] “It is not evil.” Offer it, then, to thy governor; Will he be pleased with thee, Or have regard to thee? Saith Jehovah of hosts.

9 And now, beseech the face of God, so that he may have mercy on you (for by your hand has this been done) if, in any way, he might accept your faces, says the Lord of hosts.

And now, I pray you, beseech God to be gracious unto us! Since such things are done by you, Will he have regard to you, Saith Jehovah of hosts?

10 Who is there among you that would close the doors and enflame my altar without pay? I have no favor in you, says the Lord of hosts. And I will not accept a gift from your hand.

O that some one of you would close the doors, That ye might not kindle the fire upon mine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, Neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11 For, from the rising of the sun even to its setting, my name is great among the Gentiles, and in every place, a clean oblation is being sacrificed and offered to my name. For my name is great among the Gentiles, says the Lord of hosts.

For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same My name shall be great among the nations. And in every place shall incense be offered to my name, And a pure offering; For my name shall be great among the nations, Saith Jehovah of hosts.

12 And you have polluted it, in that you say, “The table of the Lord has been contaminated; and that which is placed upon it is contemptible, compared with the fire that devours it.”

But ye profane it, In that ye say, “The table of Jehovah is polluted, And what is offered thereon, even its food, is contemptible.”

13 And you have said, “Behold our labor,” and you have exhaled it away, says the Lord of hosts. And you brought in by plunder the lame, and the sick, and brought it in as a gift. How can I receive this from your hand, says the Lord?

Ye say also, “Behold, what weariness!” And ye snuff at it, Saith Jehovah of hosts; And ye bring that which is plundered, and lame, and sick, And present it for an offering; Shall I accept it at your hand? Saith Jehovah.

14 Cursed is the deceitful, who holds in his flock a male, and, when making a vow, offers in sacrifice that which is feeble to the Lord. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the Gentiles.

Cursed be the deceiver, Who hath in his flock a male, And yet voweth and sacrificeth to Jehovah that which is marred; For I am a great king, saith Jehovah of hosts; And my name is terrible among the nations.