1 ¶ The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel by the hand of Malachi.

A revelation, Yahweh’s word to Israel by Malachi.

2 I have loved you, said the LORD. Yet ye say, In what hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? said the LORD; yet I loved Jacob,

“I have loved you,” says Yahweh. Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says Yahweh, “Yet I loved Jacob;

3 a nd I rejected Esau and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.”

4 W hen Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus hath the LORD of the hosts said, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The province of wickedness and The people against whom the LORD has indignation for ever.

Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places”; Yahweh of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom Yahweh shows wrath forever.”

5 A nd your eyes shall see and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified over the province of Israel.

Your eyes will see, and you will say, “Yahweh is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”

6 ¶ The son honours his father and the slave his master; if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? said the LORD of the hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, In what have we despised thy name?

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says Yahweh of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’

7 Y e offer polluted bread upon my altar; and ye say, In what have we polluted thee? In that ye say, We die of hunger in the service of the LORD.

You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is contemptible.’

8 A nd when ye offer the blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Likewise when ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy prince; will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person? said the LORD of the hosts.

When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says Yahweh of Armies.

9 A nd now, therefore, beseech the face of God, and he will have compassion on us; this has come by your hand: will he regard your persons? said the LORD of the hosts.

“Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says Yahweh of Armies.

10 W ho is there even among you that would shut the doors or tend the fire on my altar for free? I have no pleasure in you, said the LORD of the hosts, neither will the offering from your hand be agreeable unto me.

“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11 F or from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered unto my name, and a clean offering; for my name is great among the Gentiles, said the LORD of the hosts.

For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Armies.

12 A nd ye have profaned it when ye say, We die of hunger at the service of the LORD and when ye speak that his food is contemptible.

“But you profane it, in that you say, ‘Yahweh’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’

13 A nd ye say, Behold, what a weariness it is! and ye have rejected it, said the LORD of the hosts; and ye brought that which was stolen or lame or sick and presented an offering: should this be acceptable unto me by your hand? said the LORD.

You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.

14 B ut cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male and vows and sacrifices unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of the hosts, and my name is formidable among the Gentiles.

“But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”