Malachi 1

1This is the message that the LORD gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel.H4853H1697H3068H3478H3027H4401

The Lord’s Love for Israel

2The LORD says to his people, "I have always loved you." But they reply, "How have you shown your love for us?" The LORD answers, "Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants,H157H5002H3068H559H157H6215H3290H251H559H3068H157H32903and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned the land to jackals."H8130H6215H7760H2022H5159H8077H8568H40574If Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say, "Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them," then the LORD will reply, "Let them rebuild - I will tear them down again. People will call them 'The evil country' and 'The nation with whom the LORD is angry forever.' "H123H559H7567H7725H1129H2723H559H3068H6635H1129H2040H7121H1366H7564H5971H3068H2194H5704H57695The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, "The LORD is mighty even outside the land of Israel!"H5869H7200H559H3068H1431H1366H3478

The Lord Reprimands the Priests

6The LORD Almighty says to the priests, "Children honor their parents, and servants honor their masters. I am your father - why don't you honor me? I am your master - why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, 'How have we despised you?'H1121H3513H1H5650H113H1H3519H113H4172H559H3068H6635H3548H959H8034H559H959H80347This is how - by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, 'How have we failed to respect you?' I will tell you - by showing contempt for my altar.H5066H1351H3899H4196H559H1351H559H7979H3068H9598When you bring a blind or sick or lame animal to sacrifice to me, do you think there's nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors?"H5066H5787H2076H7451H5066H6455H2470H7451H7126H6346H7521H5375H6440H559H3068H66359Now, you priests, try asking God to be good to us. He will not answer your prayer, and it will be your fault.H2470H6440H410H2603H3027H5375H6440H559H3068H663510The LORD Almighty says, "I wish one of you would close the Temple doors so as to prevent you from lighting useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you; I will not accept the offerings you bring me.H5462H1817H215H4196H2600H2656H559H3068H6635H7521H4503H302711People from one end of the world to the other honor me. Everywhere they burn incense to me and offer acceptable sacrifices. All of them honor me!H4217H8121H3996H8034H1419H1471H4725H6999H5066H8034H2889H4503H8034H1419H1471H559H3068H663512But you dishonor me when you say that my altar is worthless and when you offer on it food that you despise.H2490H559H7979H3068H1351H5108H400H95913You say, 'How tired we are of all this!' and you turn up your nose at me. As your offering to me you bring a stolen animal or one that is lame or sick. Do you think I will accept that from you?H559H4972H5301H559H3068H6635H935H1497H6455H2470H935H4503H7521H3027H559H306814A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me."H779H5230H3426H5739H2145H5087H2076H136H7843H1419H4428H559H3068H6635H8034H3372H1471