Mal 1 | HCSB | STEP | An oracle : The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi .

Malachi 1

Malachi

The Lord’s Love for Israel

1 An ^{▼▼oracle: A prophetic speech of a threatening or menacing character, often against the nations}oracle: ^b The word of the Lord ^c to Israel through ^d Malachi. ^{▼▼= My Messenger}

2 “I have loved you,” ^f says the Lord.But you ask: “How have You loved us?”“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” ^g This is the Lord’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob, 3 but I hated Esau. ^h I turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to the desert jackals.” ⁱ

4 Though Edom says: “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild ^{▼▼Or will return and build} the ruins,” the Lord of ^{▼▼Hosts/hosts: Military forces consisting of God's angels, sometimes including the sun, moon, and stars, and occasionally, Israel}Hosts says this: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called a wicked country ^l and the people the Lord has cursed ^{▼▼Or Lord is angry with} forever. ⁿ 5 Your own eyes will see this, and you yourselves will say, ‘The Lord is great, even beyond ^{▼▼Or great over} the borders of Israel.’ ^p

Disobedience of the Priests

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(s) God or the Lord/ the fear of the Lord: No single English word conveys every aspect of the word fear in this phrase. The meaning includes worshipful submission, reverential awe, and obedient respect to the covenant-keeping God of Israel.}fear of Me? ^r says ^{▼▼Yahweh/Yah: Or The Lord; the personal name of God in Hebrew; "Yah" is the shortened form of the name.}Yahweh of Hosts to you priests, who despise My name.”Yet you ask: “How have we despised Your name?”

7 “By presenting defiled food on My altar.”You ask: “How have we defiled You?” ^tWhen you say: “The Lord’s table is contemptible.” ^u

8 “When you present a blind animal for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not wrong? ^v Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the Lord of Hosts. 9 “And now ask for God’s favor. Will He be gracious to us? ^w Since this has come from your hands, will He show any of you favor?” ^x asks the Lord of Hosts. 10 “I wish one of you would shut the temple doors, ^y so you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar! ^z I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of Hosts, “and I will accept ^aa no offering from your hands. ^ab

11 “For My name will be great among the nations, ^ac from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense ^{▼▼Or Burnt offerings} and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,” ^{▼▼Or is great . . . are presented . . . is great} says Yahweh of Hosts.

12 But you are profaning it ^af when you say: “The Lord’s table is defiled, and its product, its food, is contemptible.” 13 You also say: “Look, what a nuisance!” “And you scorn ^{▼▼Lit blow at} it,” ^{▼▼Ancient Jewish tradition reads Me
,} ^ai says the Lord of Hosts. “You bring stolen, ^{▼▼Or injured
,} ^ak lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands?” asks the Lord.

14 “The deceiver is cursed who has an acceptable male in his flock and makes a vow but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. ^al For I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “and My name ^{▼▼Or Because I am . . . Yahweh of Hosts, My name} will be feared among the nations.