Malachi 1

1 The burden of a word of YHWH to Israel by the hand of Malachi:

The declaration of the word of Yahweh to Israel by the hand of Malachi.

2 “I have loved you, said YHWH, And you have said, In what have You loved us?

“I have loved you,” says Yahweh. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares Yahweh. “Yet I have loved Jacob,

3 Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” A declaration of YHWH, “And I love Jacob, and Esau I have hated, And I make his mountains a desolation, And his inheritance for dragons of a wilderness.

but Esau I have hated. I have made his mountains an abandoned devastation, and I have made his inheritance a place for the jackals of the wilderness.”

4 Because Edom says, We have been made poor, And we return and we build the ruins, Thus said YHWH of Hosts: They build, and I destroy, And [men] have called to them, O region of wickedness, O people whom YHWH defied for all time.

If Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins,” Yahweh of hosts will say, “They may rebuild, but I will throw down again. Others will call them 'The country of wickedness' and 'The people whom Yahweh has cursed forever.'

5 And your eyes see, and you say, YHWH is magnified beyond the border of Israel,

Your own eyes will see this, and you will say, 'Yahweh is great beyond the borders of Israel.'”

6 A son honors a father, and a servant his master. And if I [am] a father, where [is] My glory? And if I [am] a master, where [is] My fear? Said YHWH of Hosts to you, O priests, despising My Name! And you have said, In what have we despised Your Name?

“A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. If I, then, am a father, where is my honor? If I am a master, where is the reverence for me?” says Yahweh of hosts to you priests, who despise my name. “But you say, 'How have we despised your name?'

7 You are bringing defiled bread near on My altar, And you have said, In what have we defiled You? In your saying, The table of YHWH—it [is] despicable,

By offering polluted bread upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that Yahweh's table is contemptible.

8 And when you bring the blind near for sacrifice, [saying], There is no evil, And when you bring the lame and sick near, [saying], There is no evil; Now bring it near to your governor—Does he accept you? Or does he lift up your face?” said YHWH of Hosts.

When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not evil? When you offer the lame and sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor! Will he accept you or will he lift up your face?” says Yahweh of hosts.

9 “And now, please appease the face of God, And He favors us; This has been from your own hand, Does He accept your faces?” said YHWH of Hosts.

Now you keep asking the face of God, that he may be gracious to us. But Yahweh of hosts says that with such an offering in your hand, would he lift up any of your faces?

10 “Who [is] even among you, And he shuts the double doors? Indeed, you do not kindle My altar for nothing, I have no pleasure in you,” said YHWH of Hosts, “And I do not accept a present of your hand.

“Oh, if only there were one of you who would shut the temple gates, so that you might not light fires on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and I will not accept any offering from your hand.

11 For from the rising of the sun to its going in, Great [is] My Name among nations, And in every place incense is brought near for My Name, and a pure present, For great [is] My Name among nations,” said YHWH of Hosts.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations and in every place incense and pure offerings will be offered in my name. For my name will be great among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts.

12 “And you are defiling it in your saying, The table of YHWH—it is defiled, As for its fruit—its food is despicable.

“But you are profaning it when you say the Lord's table is polluted, and that its fruit, its food, is to be despised.

13 And you have said, Behold, what a weariness, And you have puffed at it,” said YHWH of Hosts, “And you have brought in plunder, And the lame and the sick, And you have brought in the present! Do I accept it from your hand?” said YHWH.

You also say, 'How tiresome this is,' and you snort at it,” says Yahweh of hosts. “You bring what has been taken by a wild animal or is lame or sick; and this you bring as your offering. Should I accept this from your hand?” says Yahweh.

14 “And a deceiver [is] cursed, who has in his drove a male, And is vowing, and is sacrificing a marred thing to the Lord, For I [am] a great King,” said YHWH of Hosts, “And My Name [is] revered among nations!”

“May the deceiver be cursed who has a male animal in his flock and vows to give it to me, and yet sacrifices to me, the Lord, what is flawed! For I am a great king,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and my name will be honored among the nations.”