Malachi 1:1-2:7

English Standard Version

1 The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.^[a]

The Lord's Love for Israel

²^(A)“I have loved you,” says the Lord. ^(B)But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau ^(C)Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet ^(D)I have loved Jacob ³but Esau I have hated. ^(E)I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.” ⁴If 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^(F)Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

The Priests' Polluted Offerings

⁶^(G)“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am ^(H)a father, where is my honor? And if I am ^(I)a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. ^(J)But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ ⁷^(K)By offering polluted food upon my altar. ^(L)But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that ^(M)the Lord's table may be despised. ⁸^(N)When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. ⁹And now ^(O)entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, ^(P)will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. ¹⁰^(Q)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 the Lord of hosts, ^(R)and I will not accept an offering from your hand. ¹¹For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name ^(S)will be^[b] great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name ^(T)will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. ¹²But you profane it when you say that ^(U)the Lord's table is polluted, and its fruit, that is, its food may be despised. ¹³But you say, ^(V)‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. ^(W)You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. ¹⁴Cursed be the cheat who has ^(X)a male in his flock, and ^(Y)vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For ^(Z)I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name ^(AA)will be feared among the nations.

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

2 “And now, ^(AB)O priests, ^(AC)this command is for you. ²^(AD)If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send ^(AE)the curse upon you and I will curse ^(AF)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. ³Behold, ^(AG)I will rebuke your offspring,^[c] and ^(AH)spread dung on your faces, the ^(AI)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.^[d] ⁴So shall you know that I have sent ^(AJ)this command to you, that ^(AK)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. ⁵My covenant with him was one of life and ^(AL)peace, and I gave them to him. ^(AM)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. ⁶^(AN)True instruction^[e] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he ^(AO)turned many from iniquity. ⁷For ^(AP)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people^[f] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.