The ^apronouncement of the word of the LORD to ^bIsrael through ¹Malachi:

2 “I have ^aloved you,” says the LORD. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was Esau not Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I ^bhave loved Jacob; 3 but I have hated Esau, and I have ^amade his mountains a desolation and given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.” 4 Though Edom says, “We have been ^abeaten down, but we will ^1breturn and build up the ruins”; this is what the LORD of armies says: “They may ^cbuild, but I will tear down; and people will call them the ²territory of wickedness, and the people ³with whom the LORD is indignant ^dforever.” 5 And your eyes will see this, and you will say, “^aThe LORD ¹be exalted beyond the ²border of Israel!”

6 “‘A son ^ahonors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a ^bfather, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My ¹respect?’ says the LORD of armies to you, the ^cpriests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting ^adefiled ^1bfood upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The ^ctable of the LORD is to be despised.’ 8 And when you present a ^ablind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Or when you present a lame or sick animal, is it not evil? So offer it to your ^bgovernor! Would he be pleased with you, or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of armies. 9 “But now, do indeed ^aplead for God’s favor, so that He will be gracious to us. ¹With such an offering on your part, will He ^breceive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of armies. 10 “If only there were one among you who would ^ashut the ¹gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar for nothing! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of armies, “^bnor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the ^arising of the sun even to its setting, ^bMy name shall be ^cgreat among the nations, and in every place ^dfrankincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be ^egreat among the nations,” says the LORD of armies. 12 “But you are ^aprofaning it by your saying, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘See, ¹how ^atiresome it is!’ And you view it as trivial,” says the LORD of armies, “and you bring what was taken by ^brobbery and what is ^clame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I ^daccept it from your hand?” says the LORD. 14 “But cursed be the ^aswindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a ^bblemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great ^cKing,” says the LORD of armies, “and My name is ^1dfeared among the ²nations.”

The ^1aoracle (burdensome message) of the word of the LORD to ^bIsrael through My messenger Malachi.

2 “I have ^aloved you,” says the LORD. ¹But you say, “How and in what way have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet I ^bloved Jacob (Israel) ; 3 but in comparison with My love for Jacob I have hated Esau (Edom) , and I have ^amade his mountains a wasteland, and have given his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness.” Rom 9:13, 16 4 Though impoverished Edom says, “We have been ^abeaten down, but we will ^breturn and build up the ruins.” Thus says the LORD of hosts, “They may ^cbuild, but I will tear down; and men will call them the Wicked Territory, the people against whom the LORD is indignant ^dforever.” 5 Your own eyes will see this and you will say, “^aThe LORD is great and shall be magnified beyond the border of Israel!” Is 34; 63:1-6; Jer 49:7-22; Ezek 25:12-14; Obad 1

6 “‘A son ^ahonors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a ^bFather, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is the reverent fear and respect due Me?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O ^cpriests, who despise My name. But you say, ‘How and in what way have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting ^adefiled ^bfood upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By thinking that the ^ctable of the LORD is contemptible and may be despised. 8 When you priests present the ^1ablind animals for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and the sick, is it not evil? Offer such a thing as a blind or lame or sick animal to your ^bgovernor as a gift or as payment for your taxes. Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you graciously?” says the LORD of hosts. 9 “But now will you not ^aentreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering from your hand as an imperfect animal for sacrifice, will He ^bshow favor to any of you?” says the LORD of hosts. 10 “Oh, that there were even one among you whose duty it is to minister to Me who would ^ashut the gates, so that you would not kindle fire on My altar uselessly with an empty, worthless pretense! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “^bnor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For ¹from the ^arising of the sun, even to its setting, ^bMy name shall be ^cgreat among the nations. In every place ^dincense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name shall be ^egreat among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts. 12 “But you priests ^aprofane it when you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘^aHow tiresome this is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by ^brobbery, and the ^clame or the sick animals; this you bring as an offering! Should I ^dreceive it with pleasure from your hand?” says the LORD. Lev 1:3; Deut 15:21 14 “But cursed is the ^aswindler who has a male in his flock and vows to offer it, but sacrifices to the Lord a ^bblemished or diseased thing! For I am a great ^cKing,” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is to be reverently and greatly ^dfeared among the nations.”