1 T he burden of a word of Jehovah unto Israel by the hand of Malachi:

The burden or oracle (the thing to be lifted up) of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

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

I have loved you, says the Lord. Yet you say, How and in what way have You loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the Lord; yet I loved Jacob (Israel),

3 I s 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.

But I have hated Esau and have laid waste his mountains, and his heritage I have given to the jackals of the wilderness.

4 B ecause 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.'

Though Edom should say, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places—thus says the Lord of hosts: They may build, but I will tear and throw down; and men will call them the Wicked Country, the people against whom the Lord has indignation forever.

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

Your own eyes shall see this and you shall say, The Lord is great and will be magnified over and beyond the border of Israel!

6 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?'

A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the fear due Me? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise My name. You say, How and in what way have we despised Your name?

7 Y e 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,'

By offering polluted food upon My altar. And you ask, How have we polluted it and profaned You? By thinking that the table of the Lord is contemptible and may be despised.

8 A nd 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.

When you offer blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and the sick, is it not evil? Present such a thing now to your governor. Will he be pleased with you? Or will he receive you graciously? says the Lord of hosts.

9 A nd 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.

Now then, I beg, entreat God that He will be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will He accept it or show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts.

10 W ho 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.

Oh, that there were even one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on My altar to no purpose! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, nor will I accept an offering from your hand.

11 F or, 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.

For from the rising of the sun to its setting My name shall be great among the nations, and in every place incense shall be offered to My name, and indeed a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

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

But you profane it when you say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and the fruit of it, its food, is contemptible and may be despised.

13 A nd 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.

You say also, Behold, what a drudgery and weariness this is! And you have sniffed at it, says the Lord of hosts. And you have brought that which was taken by violence, or the lame or the sick; this you bring as an offering! Shall I accept this from your hand? says the Lord.

14 A nd 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!

But cursed is the deceiver who has a male in his flock and vows to offer it, yet sacrifices to the Lord a blemished or diseased thing! For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and My name is terrible and to be feared among the nations.