Malachi 1

1 An oracle: the word of Jehovah to Israel by Malachi.

The burden of the word of YHWH to Israel by Malachi.

2 "I have loved you," says Jehovah. Yet you say, "How have you loved us?" "Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother?" says Jehovah, "Yet I loved Jacob;

I have loved you, saith YHWH. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith YHWH: yet I loved Jacob,

3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness."

And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

4 Whereas Edom says, "We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places;" thus says Jehovah of hosts, "They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them 'The Wicked Land,' even the people against whom Jehovah shows wrath forever."

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith YHWH of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom YHWH hath indignation for ever.

5 Your eyes will see, and you will say, "Jehovah is great—even beyond the border of Israel."

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, YHWH will be magnified from the border of Israel.

6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? says Jehovah of hosts to you, cohanim, who despise my name. You say, 'How have we despised your name?'

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith YHWH of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

7 You offer defiled bread on my altar. You say, 'How have we defiled you?' In that you say, 'Jehovah's table is despised, and its fruit, its food, is despised.'

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of YHWH is contemptible.

8 When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn't that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn't that evil? Present it now to your governor. Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?" says Jehovah of hosts.

And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith YHWH of hosts.

9 "Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?" says Jehovah of hosts.

And now, I pray you, beseech El that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith YHWH of hosts.

10 "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 Jehovah of hosts, "neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith YHWH of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11 For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations," says Jehovah of hosts.

For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith YHWH of hosts.

12 "But you profane it, in that you say, 'Jehovah's table is defiled, and its fruit, its food, is despised.'

But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of YHWH is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

13 You say also, 'Look, what a weariness it is.' and you sniff scornfully at it," says Jehovah of hosts; "and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this from your hand?" says Jehovah of hosts.

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith YHWH of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith YHWH.

14 "But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to Jehovah a blemished thing; for I am a great King," says Jehovah of hosts, "and my name is awesome among the nations."

But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto YHWH a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith YHWH of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.