Yahweh’s Love for Jacob

1 The ^[a](A)oracle of the word of ^[b]Yahweh to ^(B)Israel by the hand of ^[c]Malachi.

² “I have ^(C)loved you,” says Yahweh. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares Yahweh. “Yet I ^(D)have loved Jacob; ³ but I have hated Esau, and I have ^(E)set his mountains to be a desolation and his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” ⁴ Though Edom says, “We have been ^(F)demolished, but we will ^[d](G)return and build up the waste places”; thus says Yahweh of hosts, “They may ^(H)build, but I will pull down; and men will call them a ^[e]territory of wickedness, and the people ^[f]toward whom Yahweh is indignant ^(I)forever.” ⁵ And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “^(J)Yahweh ^[g]be magnified beyond the ^[h]territory of Israel!”

The Priests Defile Yahweh

⁶ “‘A son ^(K)honors his father, and a slave his master. Then if I am a ^(L)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is the fear of Me?’ says Yahweh of hosts to you, O ^(M)priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ ⁷ You are presenting ^(N)defiled ^[i](O)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The ^(P)table of Yahweh is to be despised.’ ⁸ But when you present the ^(Q)blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Please, bring it near to your ^(R)governor! Would he accept you? Or would he lift up your face?” says Yahweh of hosts. ⁹ “But now, ^[j](S)entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us! With this thing which is from your hand, will He ^(T)lift up any of your faces?” says Yahweh of hosts. ¹⁰ “Oh that there were one among you who would ^(U)shut the ^[k]gates, that you might not light a fire on My altar in vain! I have no delight in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “^(V)nor will I accept an offering from your hand. ¹¹ For from the ^(W)rising of the sun even to its setting, ^(X)My name will be ^(Y)great among the nations, and in every place ^(Z)incense is going to be presented to My name, as well as a grain offering that is clean; for My name will be ^(AA)great among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts. ¹² “But you are ^(AB)profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ ¹³ You also say, ‘Behold, how ^(AC)tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by ^(AD)robbery and what is ^(AE)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I ^(AF)accept that from your hand?” says Yahweh. ¹⁴ “But cursed be the ^(AG)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a ^[l](AH)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great ^(AI)King,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and My name is ^[m](AJ)feared among the ^[n]nations.”