Study Desk

A prophecy:^(a) The word^(b) of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.^[a]

"I have loved^(c) you," says the Lord . "But you ask,^(d) ‘How have you loved us?' "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord . "Yet I have loved Jacob,^(e)

but Esau I have hated,^(f) and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland^(g) and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.^(h)"

Edom⁽ⁱ⁾ may say, "Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild^(j) the ruins." But this is what the Lord Almighty says: "They may build, but I will demolish.^(k) They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord .^(l)

You will see it with your own eyes and say, ‘Great^(m) is the Lord —even beyond the borders of Israel!'⁽ⁿ⁾

"A son honors his father,^(o) and a slave his master.^(p) If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect^(q) due me?" says the Lord Almighty.^(r) "It is you priests who show contempt for my name. "But you ask,^(s) ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?'

"By offering defiled food^(t) on my altar. "But you ask,^(u) ‘How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the Lord 's table^(v) is contemptible.

When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals,^(w) is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased^(x) with you? Would he accept you?" says the Lord Almighty.^(y)

"Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings^(z) from your hands, will he accept^(aa) you?"—says the Lord Almighty.

"Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors,^(ab) so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased^(ac) with you," says the Lord Almighty, "and I will accept^(ad) no offering^(ae) from your hands.

My name will be great^(af) among the nations,^(ag) from where the sun rises to where it sets.^(ah) In every place incense^(ai) and pure offerings^(aj) will be brought to me, because my name will be great among the nations," says the Lord Almighty.

"But you profane it by saying, ‘The Lord's table^(ak) is defiled,' and, ‘Its food^(al) is contemptible.'

And you say, ‘What a burden!'^(am) and you sniff at it contemptuously,^(an)" says the Lord Almighty. "When you bring injured, lame or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices,^(ao) should I accept them from your hands?"^(ap) says the Lord .

"Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal^(aq) to the Lord. For I am a great king,^(ar)" says the Lord Almighty,^(as) "and my name is to be feared^(at) among the nations.^(au)

Additional Warning to the Priests

"And now, you priests, this warning is for you.^(a)

If you do not listen,^(b) and if you do not resolve to honor^(c) my name," says the Lord Almighty, "I will send a curse^(d) on you, and I will curse your blessings.^(e) Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

"Because of you I will rebuke your descendants^[a]; I will smear on your faces the dung^(f) from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.^(g)

And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi^(h) may continue," says the Lord Almighty.

"My covenant was with him, a covenant⁽ⁱ⁾ of life and peace,^(j) and I gave them to him; this called for reverence^(k) and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.

True instruction^(l) was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked^(m) with me in peace⁽ⁿ⁾ and uprightness,^(o) and turned many from sin.^(p)

"For the lips of a priest^(q) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger^(r) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.^(s)

But you have turned from the way^(t) and by your teaching have caused many to stumble;^(u) you have violated the covenant^(v) with Levi,"^(w) says the Lord Almighty.

"So I have caused you to be despised^(x) and humiliated^(y) before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality^(z) in matters of the law."^(aa)