Malachi 1

1 An oracle. The message of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.

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

2 ‘I have loved you,’ says the Lord. ‘But you ask, “How have you shown love to us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ explains the Lord of hosts, ‘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 hated Esau, and made his mountains a desolation, and transformed his ancestral land into a wilderness.

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

4 When Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the ruined places”’ the Lord of hosts says, ‘They may build, but I will throw down. They will be called, “The border land of wickedness,” the people against whom the Lord is angry 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 own eyes will see this, and you will say, “the Lord’s greatness reaches 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 honours his father and servant their master. If I am a father, where is my honour? And if I am a master, where is the one who fears me? So says the Lord to you, priests who despise my name. You ask, “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 on my altar bread that is polluted. You ask, “How have we polluted it?” Because you say, “The table of the Lord is contemptible.”

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 animal for sacrifice, “It doesn’t matter!” And when you offer the lame and the sick “It doesn’t matter!” Give an animal like that to your governor; will he be pleased with it? Will he receive you favourably?’ says the Lord 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, plead for the favour of God with such an offering, so that he may be gracious to us. ‘Would I receive any of you favourably?’ says the Lord 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 ‘If only one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you could not kindle useless fires on my altar! I have no pleasure in you,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘Nor will I accept an offering from 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 to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place they offer to my name a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations,’ says the Lord 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 me when you say, “The table of the Lord is polluted, and its food is contemptible.”

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, “How tired we are of all this!” and you sniff contemptuously at it. You have brought the blind, the lame and the sick as offerings. Should I accept this from your hand?’ says the Lord 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 ‘Cursed be the cheat, who has in his flock a valuable male, but vows and sacrifices to the Lord a blemished animal! For I am a great king,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘and my name is feared 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.