Malachi 1

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.*1:1 Malachi means my messenger

The Lord’s Love for Israel

2 *Deut. 7:8;Jer. 31:3"I have loved you," says the Lord. *[ch. 2:14,17;3:7,8,13] But you say, "How have you loved us?" "Is not Esau *[Amos 1:11;Obad. 10] Jacob’s brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet *Cited Rom. 9:13I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated. *Isa. 34:13;Jer. 49:10,18;Ezek. 35:3,4;Joel 3:19I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert." 4 If Edom says, "We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins," the Lord of hosts says, "They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’" 5 *Ps. 91:8Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, "Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!"

The Priests’ Polluted Offerings

6 *See Ex. 20:12"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am *Ex. 4:22;Hos. 11:1a father, where is my honor? And if I am *[Luke 6:46] a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. *[See ver. 2above]But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 *[ver. 8;ch. 2:12;3:3] By offering polluted food upon my altar. *[See ver. 2above] But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that *[ver. 12]the Lord’s table may be despised. 8 *[ver. 13]; See Lev. 22:22When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. 9 And now *See Zech. 7:2entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, *See Deut. 10:17will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 *[Isa. 1:13] Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, *[Isa. 1:11;Jer. 6:20;Amos 5:21]and I will not accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name *[Isa. 2:2;56:7;60:3;66:19]will be*1:11 Or is (three times in verse 11; also verse 14) great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name *[Isa. 2:2;56:7;60:3;66:19]will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. 12 But you profane it when you say that *[ver. 7]the Lord’s table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food, may be despised. 13 But you say, *Isa. 43:23;[ch. 3:14;Mic. 6:3] ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. *[ver. 8; Lev. 22:20]You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. 14 Cursed be the cheat who has *See Ex. 12:5a male in his flock, and *[Lev. 22:21] vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For *See Zech. 14:9I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name *Ps. 47:2;76:12will be feared among the nations.