The Lord’s Love for Israel
1 An oracle:The word of theLordto Israel throughMalachi.
2 “I have loved you,”says theLord.
But you ask: “How have You loved us? ”
“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother? ”This is theLord’s declaration. “Even so, I loved Jacob,
3 but I hated Esau.I turned his mountains into a wasteland, and gave his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
4 Though Edom says: “We have been devastated, but we will rebuildthe ruins,” theLordof Hosts says this: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called a wicked countryand the people theLordhas cursedforever.
5 Your own eyes will see this, and you yourselves will say, ‘TheLordis great, even beyondthe borders of Israel.’
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 of Me?says 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? ”
When you say: “TheLord’s table is contemptible.”
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?Bring it to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor? ” asks theLordof Hosts.
9 “And now ask for God’s favor. Will He be gracious to us?Since this has come from your hands, will He show any of you favor? ”asks theLordof Hosts.
10 “I wish one of you would shut the temple doors,so you would no longer kindle a useless fire on My altar!I am not pleased with you,” says theLordof Hosts, “and I will acceptno offering from your hands.
11 “For My name will be great among the nations,from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incenseand pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,”says Yahweh of Hosts.
12 But you are profaning itwhen 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 scornit,”says theLordof Hosts. “You bring stolen,lame, or sick animals. You bring this as an offering! Am I to accept that from your hands? ” asks theLord.
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.For I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “and My namewill be feared among the nations.
—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/MAL/1-04890cedf0f650a1d841f41c90197763.mp3?version_id=72—