Malachi 1

Malachi 1:4

Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

And, howsoever these sons of Esau say, We are indeed brought down, and our cities are spoiled; but why should not we return, as well as ye the sons of Jacob, and build up our ruined towns also? yet, Thus saith the Lord; In vain shall they attempt to repair their wasted cities; for, if they build, I will pull down: and I will cause them to be branded with the sensible mark of my displeasure; so as, all the regions about shall call them, The country noted for wickedness, and The people against whom the Lord hath conceived an everlasting indignation; whereas you, O Israel, are embraced with mercy and compassion, and restored to your ancient territories.

Malachi 1:5

And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel.

And, behold, your very eyes shall be witnesses, both of these my favours to you, and of this my severity to the sons of Esau; and ye shall be forced to say, The Lord hath well deserved to be praised and magnified, from all the coasts of Israel.

Malachi 1:6

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 the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

This, indeed, I have deserved from you; but how is it performed on your part? A son is wont to honour his father, and a servant his master: ye call me your Father, yourselves my Sons; ye call me your Master, and yourselves my Servants; if then I be your Father, &c. saith the Lord of Hosts, even to you, the guides of my people, O ye the priests of my sanctuary; for even ye, who should be exemplarily holy, even ye have despised my name; and yet ye stand in your own justification, and say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

Malachi 1:7

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

Let me tell you then, and convince you of your sin; ye have cast contempt upon me, in that ye have offered base and unworthy oblations upon mine altar: yet still ye stand upon your innocence, and say, Wherein have we cast contempt upon thee?

Malachi 1:8

And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

Hath not the law of God expressly forbidden you to offer the blind, or lame, or sick beasts, in sacrifice to God? and is there not good reason? go ye and present such like gifts to your very governors, men like yourselves; will they take them well from your hands, and not rather think that you put a scorn upon them? will they not accordingly send you away with a just scorn, saith the Lord of Hosts?

Malachi 1:9

And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts.

And now, if ye like well of these courses, go on to offer these unmeet and disgraceful oblations to God; and call to him, notwithstanding, that he will be well pleased with them, and with you for them: thus ye have done hitherto, and have provoked God against us: see yet, whether he will accept of such offerers and sacrifices; saith the Lord of Hosts.

Malachi 1:10

Who is there eren among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you.

I have not dealt thus with you, but have abundantly recompensed all your services: which of you is there, among all the Levites of my Temple, that hath shut the doors of my house, unrewarded? which of you is there, that hath so much as kindled a fire on mine altar, for nought? yet ye have had no regard unto me again. I will be affected to you accordingly; behold, I have no pleasure in you.

Malachi 1:11

For from the rising of the sun eren to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering.

Neither shall my worship and service be confined to you, but I will hereafter enlarge it to all the ends of the world; for, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, my Name shall be honoured and adored of the Gentiles, who are as yet without God in the world; and they shall in every place, not in my Temple only, offer pure and holy sacrifices unto me.

Malachi 1:12

But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

But, as for you, ye have profaned and abused my Name; in that ye have entertained base conceits of my sacrifices, and have held the oblations offered unto me, as meat vile and contemptible, and unworthy of any other respects than scorn.

Malachi 1:13

Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick.

Ye said also, What a toil is this we are put unto, in killing and dividing these base and worthless sacrifices? whereas, would ye but have signified the least dislike of these unmeet oblations, they would have been exchanged for better; but all was alike to you: ye were willing enough to take what was brought you, and to offer that which was torn and lame and sick.

Malachi 1:14

But cursed be the deceirer, which hath in his flock a male, and roweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

But, cursed be that hollow and falsehearted Jew, who, having in his flock a male, without spot or blemish, fat and well liking; yet, after his vow, sacrificeth unto the Lord a lean, blemished, unsound female: for I am a Great King, saith the Lord of Hosts: I look for the best, who have made all; and my Name is great and dreadful in all the world: the Gentiles shall adore and magnify it, however it be slighted of my unworthy people of Israel.