The burden of the word of the Lord to Yisra᾽el by Mal᾽akhi.

I have loved you, says the Lord. Yet you say, In what hast Thou loved us? Was not ῾Esav Ya῾aqov’s brother? says the Lord: yet I loved Ya῾aqov,

and I hated ῾Esav, and laid his mountains waste, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.

For Edom says, We are made destitute; but we will return and rebuild the desolate places. Thus says the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall be called, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord has indignation for ever.

And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The Lord is great beyond the border of Yisra᾽el.

A son honours his father, and a servant his master: if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. And you say, In what have we despised Thy name?

You offer disgusting bread upon my altar; and you say, In what have we polluted Thee? In that you say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer a lame or sick animal, is that not evil? offer it now to thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or will he show you favour? says the Lord of hosts.

And now, I pray you, entreat God that he will be gracious to us: this has been your doing: will he show favour to any of you? says the Lord of hosts.

O that there were one among you who would shut the doors that you might not kindle fire on my altar for nought! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, nor will I accept an offering at your hand.

For from the rising of the sun until it goes down, my name is great among the nations; and in every place incense is burnt and sacrifices are offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.

But you profane it, in that you suppose that the table of the Lord is disgusting, and its fruit contemptible to eat.

And you have said, Behold, what a weariness it is! and you have snuffed at it, says the Lord of hosts; and you have brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; so you have brought an offering: should I accept this at your hand? says the Lord.

But cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male, and yet vows, and sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished: for I am a great king, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.