1 The burden of the word of theLordto Israel by Malachi.
2 I have loved you, saith theLord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith theLord: yet I loved Jacob;
3 but Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, andgavehis heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.
4 Whereas Edom saith, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places; thus saith theLordof hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down: and men shall call them The border of wickedness, and The people against whom theLordhath indignation for ever.
5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, TheLordbe magnified beyond the border of Israel.
6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith theLordof hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of theLordis contemptible.
8 And when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith theLordof hosts.
9 And now, I pray you, entreat the favour of God, that he may be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he accept any of your persons? saith theLordof hosts.
10 Oh that there were one among you that would shut the doors, that ye might not kindlefire onmine altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, saith theLordof hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
11 For 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 pure offering: for my name is great among the Gentiles, saith theLordof hosts.
12 But ye profane it, in that ye say, The table of theLordis polluted, and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.
13 Ye say also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith theLordof hosts; and ye have brought that which was taken by violence, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye bring the offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith theLord.
14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a blemished thing: for I am a great king, saith theLordof hosts, and my name is terrible among the Gentiles.