Malachi 1

Modern

Literal

The LORD’s Love for Israel

¹This is the burden of the word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi:^a

¹The burden of the word of YHWH to Israel by the hand of Malachi:

²“I have loved you,” says the LORD.

But you ask, “How have You loved us?”

“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved,

²“I have loved you,” says YHWH. And you say, “In what way have You loved us?” “Was not Esau a brother to Jacob?” An utterance of YHWH. “And I have loved Jacob,

³but Esau I have hated,^a and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”^b

³and Esau I have hated, and I set his mountains as a desolation and his inheritance for the jackals of the desert.”

⁴Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever.

⁴If Edom should say, “We have been beaten down, and we will return and will build the ruins,” thus says YHWH of Hosts: “They may build, and I, I will tear down; and they will call to them the Territory of Wickedness, The people with whom YHWH will be angry even to forever.

⁵You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’”

⁵And your eyes will see, and you will say, ‘Great is YHWH from beyond the border of Israel!’”

The Polluted Offerings

⁶“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name.

“But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’

⁶“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. And if I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am the Master, where is the fear due Me?” Says YHWH of Hosts to you, O priests despising My name. “And you say, ‘In what have we despised Your name?’

⁷By presenting defiled food on My altar.

But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’^a

By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible.

⁷By bringing near upon My altar food that is defiled. And you say, ‘In what way have we defiled You?’ By your saying that the table of YHWH, it is despised!

⁸When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

⁸For when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or would he lift up your face?” Says YHWH of Hosts.

⁹“But ask now for God’s favor. Will He be gracious? Since this has come from your hands, will He show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

⁹“And now, beseech, please, the face of God, and He will be gracious to us. From your hand this has come; will he lift up your faces?” Says YHWH of Hosts.

¹⁰“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

¹⁰“Who even among you will shut the doors, so that you could not kindle fire on My altar in vain? There is not for Me delight in you,” says YHWH of Hosts, “And an offering I will not accept from your hand!

¹¹For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of Hosts.

¹¹For from the rising of the sun to its going down, great is My name among the nations; in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and a pure offering. Indeed, My name will be great among the nations.” Says YHWH of Hosts.

¹²“But you profane it when you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is contemptible.’

¹²“And you profane it by your saying, The table of the Lord, it is defiled,’ and of its fruit, ‘Its food is contemptible’

¹³You also say: ‘Oh, what a nuisance!’ And you turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Hosts.

“You bring offerings that are stolen, lame, or sick! Should I accept these from your hands?” asks the LORD.

¹³and You also say, ‘Behold, a weariness,’ and you sneer at it,” says YHWH of Hosts, “And you bring the stolen, and the lame, and the sick, and you bring the offering! Should I accept this from your hands?” Says YHWH.

¹⁴“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.

¹⁴“And cursed is the one plotting, and a male is in his flock, and vowing it and sacrificing what is blemished to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says YHWH of Hosts, “And My name is feared among the nations.