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The Priests Defile Yahweh

“‘A son (A)honors his father, and a slave his master. Then if I am a (B)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is the fear of Me?’ says Yahweh of hosts to you, O (C)priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ You are presenting (D)defiled [a](E)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The (F)table of Yahweh is to be despised.’ But when you present the (G)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 (H)governor! Would he accept you? Or would he lift up your face?” says Yahweh of hosts. “But now, [b](I)entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us! With this thing which is from your hand, will He (J)lift up any of your faces?” says Yahweh of hosts. 10 “Oh that there were one among you who would (K)shut the [c]gates, that you might not light a fire on My altar in vain! I have no delight in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “(L)nor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the (M)rising of the sun even to its setting, (N)My name will be (O)great among the nations, and in every place (P)incense is going to be presented to My name, as well as a grain offering that is clean; for My name will be (Q)great among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts. 12 “But you are (R)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 (S)tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by (T)robbery and what is (U)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I (V)accept that from your hand?” says Yahweh. 14 “But cursed be the (W)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a [d](X)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great (Y)King,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and My name is [e](Z)feared among the [f]nations.”

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 1:7 Lit bread
  2. Malachi 1:9 Lit soften the face of
  3. Malachi 1:10 Or doors
  4. Malachi 1:14 Or ruined
  5. Malachi 1:14 Or reverenced
  6. Malachi 1:14 Or Gentiles

Honoring the Lord

A son honors a father,
        and a servant honors his master.
But if I’m a father, where is my honor?
    Or if I’m a master, where is my respect?
says the Lord of heavenly forces
        to you priests who despise my name.
So you say, “How have we despised your name?”
        By approaching my altar with polluted food.
But you say, “How have we polluted it[a]?”
        When you say, “The table of the Lord can be despised.”
If you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn’t that evil?
If you bring a lame or sick one, isn’t that evil?
Would you bring it to your governor?
Would he be pleased with it or accept you?
says the Lord of heavenly forces.

So now ask God to be gracious to us.
After what you have done, will he accept you?
says the Lord of heavenly forces.
10 Who among you will shut the doors of the temple[b]
        so that you don’t burn something on my altar in vain?
        I take no delight in you,
says the Lord of heavenly forces.
I won’t accept a grain offering from your hand.

11 Nevertheless, from sunrise to sunset,
        my name will be great among the nations.
Incense and a pure grain offering will be offered everywhere in my name,
        because my name is great among the nations,
says the Lord of heavenly forces.
12 But you make my name impure when you say,
    “The table of the Lord is polluted.
        Its fruit, its food, is despised.”
13 But you say, “How tedious!”
        and you groan about it,
says the Lord of heavenly forces.
You permit what is stolen, lame, or sick to be brought for a sacrifice,[c]
        and you bring the grain offering.
Should I accept such from your hands?
says the Lord.

14 I will curse the cheater who has a healthy[d] male in his flock,
        but who promises and sacrifices to the Lord that which is corrupt.
            I am truly a great king,
says the Lord of heavenly forces,
            and my name is feared among the nations.

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Footnotes

  1. Malachi 1:7 Gk; Heb you
  2. Malachi 1:10 Heb lacks of the temple.
  3. Malachi 1:13 Heb lacks for a sacrifice.
  4. Malachi 1:14 Heb lacks healthy.