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Malachi 1:3-5
New English Translation
Malachi 1:3-5
New English Translation
3 and rejected Esau.[a] I turned Esau’s[b] mountains into a deserted wasteland[c] and gave his territory[d] to the wild jackals.”[e]
4 Edom[f] says, “Though we are devastated, we will once again build the ruined places.” So the Lord of Heaven’s Armies[g] responds, “They indeed may build, but I will overthrow. They will be known as[h] the land of evil, the people with whom the Lord is permanently displeased. 5 Your eyes will see it, and then you will say, ‘May the Lord be magnified[i] even beyond the border of Israel!’”
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- Malachi 1:3 tn Heb “and I loved Jacob, but Esau I hated.” The context indicates this is technical covenant vocabulary in which “love” and “hate” are synonymous with “choose” and “reject” respectively (see Deut 7:8; Jer 31:3; Hos 3:1; 9:15; 11:1).
- Malachi 1:3 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Malachi 1:3 tn Heb “I set his mountains as a desolation.”
- Malachi 1:3 tn Or “inheritance” (so NIV, NLT).
- Malachi 1:3 tn Heb “jackals of the wilderness.”
- Malachi 1:4 sn Edom, a “brother” nation to Israel, became almost paradigmatic of hostility toward Israel and God (see Num 20:14-21; Deut 2:8; Jer 49:7-22; Ezek 25:12-14; Amos 1:11-12; Obad 10-12).
- Malachi 1:4 sn The epithet Lord of Heaven’s Armies occurs frequently as a divine title throughout Malachi (24 times total). This name (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, yehvah tsevaʾot), traditionally translated “Lord of hosts” (so KJV, NAB, NASB; cf. NIV NLT “Lord Almighty”; NCV, CEV “Lord All-Powerful”), emphasizes the majestic sovereignty of the Lord, an especially important concept in the postexilic world of great human empires and rulers. For a thorough study of the divine title, see T. N. D. Mettinger, In Search of God, 123-57.
- Malachi 1:4 tn Heb “and they will call them.” The third person plural subject is indefinite; one could translate, “and people will call them.”
- Malachi 1:5 tn Or “Great is the Lord” (so NAB; similar NIV, NRSV).
Malachi 1:3-5
New International Version
Malachi 1:3-5
New International Version
3 but Esau I have hated,(A) and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland(B) and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.(C)”
4 Edom(D) may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild(E) the ruins.”
But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish.(F) They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord.(G) 5 You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great(H) is the Lord—even beyond the borders of Israel!’(I)
Malachi 1:3-5
King James Version
Malachi 1:3-5
King James Version
3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.
4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.
5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel.
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Malachi 1:3-5
New King James Version
Malachi 1:3-5
New King James Version
3 But Esau I have hated,
And (A)laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”
4 Even though Edom has said,
“We have been impoverished,
But we will return and build the desolate places,”
Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“They may build, but I will (B)throw down;
They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
5 Your eyes shall see,
And you shall say,
(C)‘The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.’
Malachi 1:3-5
English Standard Version
Malachi 1:3-5
English Standard Version
3 but Esau I have hated. (A)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 (B)Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”
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New English Translation (NET)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
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