1 An oracle [1]: The word of ADONAI to Israel by Malachi [2].
2 “I loved you,” says ADONAI. But you say: “How have you loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” — it is the declaration of ADONAI — “Yet I loved Jacob
3 and Esau I hated. I made his hills a wasteland and gave his inheritance to jackals of the wilderness.”
4 For Edom may say, “We have been beaten down, but we will return and rebuild the ruins.” Thus ADONAI-Tzva’ot says: “They may rebuild but I will tear down. They will be called a wicked territory, the people ADONAI denounced forever.
5 So you will see, and you will say: ‘May ADONAI be magnified beyond the border of Israel!’”
Priests Despise the Name of the Lord
6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. So if I am Father, where is My honor? If I am Master, where is My reverence?” — says ADONAI-Tzva’ot — “you, kohanim who despise My Name!” But you say, “How did we despise Your Name?”
7 “By offering defiled bread on My altar.” But you say, “How did we defile You?” When you say, “The table of ADONAI is despicable.”
8 “When you bring a blind one as sacrifice, is it not wrong? Or when you bring a lame or sick one, is it not wrong? Offer them now to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Or will he acknowledge you favorably?” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot.
9 “So now, implore God’s favor! Then, will He be gracious to us? Since this has come from your hands, will He accept any of it from you?” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot.
10 “If just one of you would shut the doors, and not light My altar uselessly! I have no delight in you,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot. “Nor will I accept any offering from your hand.
11 “For from sunrise to its setting [3] My Name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to My Name with a pure grain offering, for My Name will be great among the nations,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot.
12 But you are profaning it when you say, “The table of ADONAI is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food — despicable!”
13 You also say, “It’s so tedious!” “And you sniff at it,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot. “So you bring plunder, the lame and the sick. Then you bring them as the offering. Should I accept this from your hand?” says ADONAI.
14 “Moreover, cursed is a deceiver who has in his flock a male, but makes a vow and sacrifices something blemished to my Lord. For I am a great King,” says ADONAI-Tzva’ot, “and My Name shall be revered among the nations.”