God’s Love for Jacob

1 The ^(A)pronouncement of the word of the Lord to ^(B)Israel through ^[a]Malachi:

² “I have ^(C)loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not 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 given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.” ⁴ Though Edom says, “We have been ^(F)beaten down, but we will ^[b](G)return and build up the ruins”; this is what the Lord of armies says: “They may ^(H)build, but I will tear down; and people will call them the ^[c]territory of wickedness, and the people ^[d]with whom the Lord is indignant ^(I)forever.” ⁵ And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “^(J)The Lord ^[e]be exalted beyond the ^[f]border of Israel!”

Sin of the Priests

⁶ “‘A son ^(K)honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a ^(L)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My ^[g]respect?’ says the Lord of armies to you, the ^(M)priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’