The burden
of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
02 I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say,
Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's
brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob,
03 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and
his heritage waste for the dragons of the
wilderness.
04 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.
05 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The
Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel.
06 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?
07 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.
08 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.
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09 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.
10 Who is there even 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, saith the Lord of 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 shall be great
among the Gentiles; and in every place incense
shall be offered unto my name, and a pure
offering: for my name shall be great among the
heathen, saith the Lord of hosts.
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.
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; thus ye brought an
offering: should I accept this of your hand?
saith the Lord.
14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his
flock a male, and voweth, 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.
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