Malachi 1

Israel Doubts the Lord’s Love

1 This is the message of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.

2 “I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” The LORD says, “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother, Yet I chose Jacob,

3 but I rejected Esau. I turned his mountains into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the wild animals of the desert.

4 Edom may say, ‘We have been crushed, but we will rebuild,’ but the LORD of armies says, ‘They may build, but I will tear it down. People will call them the wicked land, the people the LORD stays angry with.’

5 You will see it with your own eyes, and you will say, ‘The LORD is great, even beyond Israel’s borders.’”

The Priests Disrespect the LORD

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant honors his master. If I am your Father, where is My honor, If I am your Master, where is My respect,” says the LORD of armies to you priests who disrespect My name. But you say, “How have we disrespected Your name?”

7 “You bring polluted offerings to My altar.” But you say, “How have we polluted You?” By saying, “The LORD’s table does not matter.”

8 When you offer blind animals as sacrifices, is that not wrong, When you offer lame and sick animals, is that not evil, Try giving that to your governor. Would he accept it, Would he be pleased with you,” says the LORD of armies.

9 “Now you beg God to show you favor, but with offerings like that, why should He accept you,” says the LORD of armies.

10 “I wish someone among you would shut the temple doors so you would stop bringing useless offerings. I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of armies, “and I will not accept what you bring.

11 From where the sun rises to where it sets, My name will be honored among the nations. In every place people will bring pure offerings to Me, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of armies.

12 “But you dishonor Me when you say, ‘The LORD’s table is not important,’ and you treat what belongs to Me like it means nothing.

13 You say, ‘This is tiring,’ and you treat it like a burden,” says the LORD of armies. “You bring stolen animals, the lame, and the sick, and you offer them to Me. Should I accept that from your hands,” says the LORD.

14 “Cursed is the deceiver who has a healthy male in his flock and promises it, but gives the LORD a damaged one instead. I am a great King,” says the LORD of armies, “and My name will be feared among the nations.”