1 T his is the Word of the Lord spoken to Israel through Malachi. God’s Love for Israel

The burden of a word of Jehovah unto Israel by the hand of Malachi:

2 “ I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob,

I have loved you, said Jehovah, And ye have said, `In what hast Thou loved us?'

3 b ut I have hated Esau. I have laid waste his mountains and have given his riches to the wild dogs of the desert.”

Is not Esau Jacob's brother? -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And I love Jacob, and Esau I have hated, And I make his mountains a desolation, And his inheritance for dragons of a wilderness.

4 E dom may say, “We have been destroyed, but we will return and build our cities again.” But the Lord of All says, “They may build, but I will tear down. They will be called the sinful land, the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.”

Because Edom saith, `We have been made poor, And we turn back and we build the wastes,' Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: They do build, and I do destroy, And have called to them, `O region of wickedness,' `O people whom Jehovah defied to the age.'

5 Y ou will see this with your own eyes and say, “The Lord is great even outside the land of Israel!” Unclean Gifts Given on the Altar

And your eyes do see, and ye say, `Magnified is Jehovah beyond the border of Israel,

6 “ A son honors his father. A servant honors his owner. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? If I am a boss, where is My respect? says the Lord of All to you, O religious leaders who hate My name. But you say, ‘How have we hated Your name?’

A son honoureth a father, and a servant his master. And if I a father, where Mine honour? And if I a master, where My fear? Said Jehovah of Hosts to you, O priests, despising My name! And ye have said: `In what have we despised Thy name?'

7 Y ou are bringing unclean food to My altar. But you say, ‘How have we made Your altar unclean?’ “Because you say the Lord’s table is to be hated.

Ye are bringing nigh on Mine altar polluted bread, And ye have said: `In what have we polluted Thee?' In your saying: `The table of Jehovah -- it despicable,'

8 W hen you bring a blind animal to the altar as My gift, is it not sinful? When you bring one that cannot walk, or one that is sick, is it not sinful? Why not bring it to your ruler? Would he be pleased with you? Would he receive it?” says the Lord of All.

And when ye bring nigh the blind for sacrifice, `There is no evil,' And when ye bring nigh the lame and sick, `There is no evil;' Bring it near, I pray thee, to thy governor -- Doth he accept thee? or doth he lift up thy face? Said Jehovah of Hosts.

9 “ Now pray for God’s favor, that He may be kind to us. With such gifts from your hands, will He receive any of you in kindness?” says the Lord of All.

And now, appease, I pray thee, the face of God, And He doth favour us; From your own hand hath this been, Doth He accept of you appearances? Said Jehovah of Hosts.

10 “ If only there were one among you who would shut the gates and stop you from burning a fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of All. “And I will not receive a gift in worship from you.

Who even among you, And he shutteth the two-leaved doors? Yea, ye do not kindle Mine altar for nought, I have no pleasure in you, said Jehovah of Hosts, And a present I do not accept of your hand.

11 F rom sunrise to sunset My name will be great among the nations. Special perfume will be given to My name everywhere, and a grain gift that is pure. For My name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of All.

For, from the rising of the sun to its going in, Great My name among nations, And in every place perfume is brought nigh to My name, and a pure present, For great My name among nations, Said Jehovah of Hosts.

12 “ But you are making it unclean when you say that the table of the Lord is unclean, and that its food is to be hated.

And ye are polluting it in your saying, `The table of Jehovah -- it is polluted, As to its fruit -- despicable is its food.'

13 Y ou say, ‘How tired it makes us!’ And you turn your nose away from it,” says the Lord of All. “You bring what was stolen, and what cannot walk, and what is sick. You bring this as your gift! Should I receive that from your hands?” says the Lord.

And ye have said, `Lo, what a weariness,' And ye have puffed at it, said Jehovah of Hosts, And ye have brought in plunder, And the lame and the sick, And ye have brought in the present! Do I accept it from your hand? said Jehovah.

14 “ A curse will come upon the sinful man who promises to give a male from his flock, but gives an animal that is not perfect to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the Lord of All. “And My name is feared among the nations.

And cursed a deceiver, who hath in his drove a male, And is vowing, and is sacrificing a marred thing to the Lord, For a great king I, said Jehovah of Hosts, And My name revered among nations!