Malachi 1

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

The burden of the word of the Lord 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 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,

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

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.

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.”

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

And your eyes will see. And you will say, “May the Lord be magnified beyond the limits 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?

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?”

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,

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

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.”

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.

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?

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!”

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.