1 An •oracle: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.
2† “I have loved you,” says the Lord.
But you ask: “How have You loved us? ”
“Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother? ” This is the Lord’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 rebuild A the ruins,” the Lord of •Hosts says this: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called a wicked country and the people the Lord has cursed B forever. 5 Your own eyes will see this, and you yourselves will say, ‘The Lord is great, even beyond C the borders of Israel.’
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: “The Lord’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 the Lord of 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 the Lord of 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 the Lord of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.
11 “For My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense D and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,” E says Yahweh of Hosts.
12 But you are profaning it 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 F it,” says the Lord of Hosts. “You bring stolen, G 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. For I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “and My name H will be feared among the nations.