Malachi 1

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

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

2 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,

“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,

3 And, Esau, have I hated, — and made his mountains a desolation, and his inheritance [a dwelling] for the jackals of the wilderness.

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

4 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;

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.

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

You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”

6 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?

“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?’

7 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;

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.

8 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.

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.

9 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.

“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.

10 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.

“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.

11 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.

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.

12 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.

“But you profane it when you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is contemptible.’

13 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.

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.

14 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.

“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.