¹A pronouncement. The LORD ’s word to Israel through Malachi.[#1.1 Or my messenger]

Love of Jacob

²I have loved you, says the LORD ;

Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?

I turned Esau’s mountains into desolation,

⁴Edom may say, “We are beaten down, but we will rebuild the ruins”;

but the LORD of heavenly forces proclaims:

They may build, but I will tear them down.

They will call themselves a wicked territory,

⁵Your eyes will see it and you will say,

Honoring the LORD

⁶A son honors a father,

But if I’m a father, where is my honor?

Or if I’m a master, where is my respect?

So you say, “How have we despised your name?”

But you say, “How have we polluted it?”

⁸If you bring a blind animal to sacrifice, isn’t that evil?

If you bring a lame or sick one, isn’t that evil?

Would you bring it to your governor?

Would he be pleased with it or accept you?

⁹So now ask God to be gracious to us.

After what you have done, will he accept you?

¹⁰Who among you will shut the doors of the temple[#1.10 Heb lacks]

I won’t accept a grain offering from your hand.

¹¹Nevertheless, from sunrise to sunset,

Incense and a pure grain offering will be offered everywhere in my name,

¹²But you make my name impure when you say,

“The table of the LORD is polluted.

¹³But you say, “How tedious!”

You permit what is stolen, lame, or sick to be brought for a sacrifice,

Should I accept such from your hands?

¹⁴I will curse the cheater who has a healthy male in his flock,[#1.14 Heb lacks]