1 An oracle: the word of Yahweh to Israel by Malachi.
2 "I have loved you," says Yahweh.
Yet you say, "How have you loved us?"
"Wasn't Esau Jacob's brother?" says Yahweh, "Yet I loved Jacob; 3 but Esau
I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the
jackals of the wilderness." 4 Whereas Edom says, "We are beaten down, but
we will return and build the waste places;" thus says Yahweh of Hosts, "They
shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them 'The Wicked Land,'
even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever."
5 Your eyes will see, and you will say, "Yahweh is great - even
beyond the border of Israel!"
6 "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father,
then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me?
Says Yahweh of Hosts to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, 'How
have we despised your name?' 7 You offer polluted bread on my altar.
You say, 'How have we polluted you?' In that you say, 'Yahweh's
table contemptible.' 8 When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn't
that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn't that evil?
Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he
accept your person?" says Yahweh of Hosts.
9 "Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us.
With this, will he accept any of you?" says Yahweh of Hosts.
10 "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 Yahweh of hosts, "neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
11 For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my
name is be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be
offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the
nations," says Yahweh of Hosts. 12 "But you profane it, in that
you say, 'Yahweh's table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is
contemptible.' 13 You say also, 'Behold, what a weariness it is!' and
you have sniffed at it," says Yahweh of Hosts; "and you have
brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus
you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?" says
Yahweh.
14 "But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and
sacrifices to the Lord a blemished thing; for I am a great King," says Yahweh
of hosts, "and my name is awesome among the nations."
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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