Malachi 1:1-5

New American Standard Bible 1995

God’s Love for Jacob

1 The ^[a](A)oracle of the word of the Lord to ^(B)Israel through ^[b]Malachi.

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