1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
2 aDeut. 7:8; Jer. 31:3 “I have loved you, ” says the Lord.b[ch. 2:14, 17; 3:7, 8, 13] But you say, “How have you loved us? ” “Is not Esauc[Amos 1:11; Obad. 10] Jacob's brother? ” declares the Lord. “YetdCited Rom. 9:13 I have loved Jacob 3 but Esau I have hated.eIsa. 34:13; Jer. 49:10, 18; Ezek. 35:3, 4; Joel 3:19 I 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 fPs. 91:8 Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel! ”
6 gSee Ex. 20:12 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I amhEx. 4:22; Hos. 11:1 a father, where is my honor? And if I ami[Luke 6:46] a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.b[See ver. 2 above] But you say, ‘How have we despised your name? ’ 7 j[ver. 8; ch. 2:12; 3:3] By offering polluted food upon my altar.b[See ver. 2 above] But you say, ‘How have we polluted you? ’ By saying thatk[ver. 12] the Lord 's table may be despised. 8 l[ver. 13]; See Lev. 22:22 When 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 nowmSee Zech. 7:2 entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand,nSee Deut. 10:17 will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 o[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,p[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 nameq[Isa. 2:2; 56:7; 60:3; 66:19] will be1Or 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 nameq[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 thatr[ver. 7] the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. 13 But you say,sIsa. 43:23; [ch. 3:14; Mic. 6:3] ‘What a weariness this is, ’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts.t[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 hasuSee Ex. 12:5 a male in his flock, andv[Lev. 22:21] vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. ForwSee Zech. 14:9 I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my namexPs. 47:2; 76:12 will be feared among the nations.