Malachi 1
World English Bible
1 A revelation, Yahweh’s[a] word to Israel by Malachi.
2 “I have loved you,” says Yahweh.
Yet you say, “How have you loved us?”
“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says Yahweh, “Yet I loved Jacob; 3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places;” Yahweh of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever.”
5 Your eyes will see, and you will say, “Yahweh is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”
6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is contemptible.’ 8 When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says Yahweh of Armies.
9 “Now, please entreat the favor of God,[b] that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says Yahweh of Armies.
10 “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 Yahweh of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even to its going down, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Armies. 12 “But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’ 13 You say also, ‘Behold,[c] what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.
14 “But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord[d] a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
Footnotes
- 1:1 “Yahweh” is God’s proper Name, sometimes rendered “LORD” (all caps) in other translations.
- 1:9 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
- 1:13 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
- 1:14 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
Malachi 1
Lexham English Bible
1 An oracle.[a] The word of Yahweh to Israel through[b] Malachi.[c]
An Oracle Against Edom
2 “I have loved you,” says Yahweh, but you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares[d] Yahweh. “I have loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I have hated. I have made his[e] mountain ranges a desolation, and given his inheritance to the jackals of the desert.” 4 If Edom says, “We are shattered, but we will return and rebuild the ruins,” Yahweh of hosts says this: “They may build, but I will tear down; and they will be called a territory of wickedness, and the people with whom Yahweh is angry forever.” 5 Your eyes will see this, and you will say, “Yahweh is great beyond the borders[f] of Israel.”
An Oracle Against the Temple Priesthood
6 “A son honors his father, and a slave his master;[g] but if I am a father, where is my honor, and if I am a master,[h] where is my reverence?” says Yahweh of hosts to you, O priests, who despise[i] my name. “But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 You are presenting defiled food on my altar! But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying that the table of Yahweh is despised! 8 When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice, is that not wrong?[j] And when you offer the lame and the one who is ill, is that not wrong?[k] Present it, please, to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Will he show you favor?”[l] says Yahweh of hosts. 9 So then, implore the favor of God[m] so that he will be gracious to us. “This is what you have done.[n] Will he show favor to any of you?”[o] says Yahweh of hosts. 10 “Who also among you will shut the temple doors so that you will not kindle fire in vain on my altar? I take no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and I will not accept[p] an offering from your hand. 11 From the rising of the sun to its setting, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is being presented to my name, and a pure offering. For my name is great among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts. 12 “But you are profaning it by saying the table of the Lord is defiled, and its fruit—its food[q]—is despised! 13 And you say, ‘Look! This is a weariness,’ and you sniff with disdain at it,” says Yahweh of hosts. “And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the one that is sick—this you bring as the offering! Should I accept it[r] from your hand?” says Yahweh. 14 “Cursed is the one who cheats, who has in his flock a male and vows it, but instead sacrifices a blemished one to the Lord! For I am a great king,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
Footnotes
- Malachi 1:1 Literally “A burden”
- Malachi 1:1 Literally “by the hand of”
- Malachi 1:1 The name “Malachi” means “my messenger” in Hebrew
- Malachi 1:2 Literally “declaration of”
- Malachi 1:3 That is, “Esau’s”
- Malachi 1:5 Hebrew “boundary”
- Malachi 1:6 Hebrew “masters”
- Malachi 1:6 Hebrew “masters”
- Malachi 1:6 Literally “despisers of”
- Malachi 1:8 Or “is there no wrong?”
- Malachi 1:8 Or “is there no wrong?”
- Malachi 1:8 Literally “Will he lift your face?”
- Malachi 1:9 Literally “appease, please, the face of God”
- Malachi 1:9 Literally “From your hand was this”
- Malachi 1:9 Literally “will he lift up from you a face”
- Malachi 1:10 Literally “I will not take pleasure in”
- Malachi 1:12 The Hebrew here is difficult; “its food” may function to explain “its fruit”
- Malachi 1:13 Literally “take pleasure in it”
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