God’s Love for Jacob

1 The ^[a](A)oracle of the word of the Lord to ^(B)Israel through ^[b]Malachi.

² “I have ^(C)loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I ^(D)have loved Jacob; ³ but I have hated Esau, and I have ^(E)made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness.” ⁴ Though Edom says, “We have been ^(F)beaten down, but we will ^[c](G)return and build up the ruins”; thus says the Lord of hosts, “They may ^(H)build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the ^[d]wicked territory, and the people ^[e]toward whom the Lord is indignant ^(I)forever.” ⁵ Your eyes will see this and you will say, “^(J)The Lord ^[f]be magnified beyond the ^[g]border of Israel!”

Sin of the Priests

⁶ “‘A son ^(K)honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a ^(L)father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My ^[h]respect?’ says the Lord of hosts to you, O ^(M)priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ ⁷ You are presenting ^(N)defiled ^[i](O)food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The ^(P)table of the Lord is to be despised.’ ⁸ But when you present the ^(Q)blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? ^[j]Why not offer it to your ^(R)governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts. ⁹ “But now ^[k]will you not ^(S)entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? ^[l]With such an offering on your part, will He ^(T)receive any of you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts. ¹⁰ “Oh that there were one among you who would ^(U)shut the ^[m]gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord of hosts, “^(V)nor will I accept an offering from ^[n]you. ¹¹ For from the ^(W)rising of the sun even to its setting, ^(X)My name will be ^(Y)great among the nations, and in every place ^(Z)incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be ^(AA)great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts. ¹² “But you are ^(AB)profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ ¹³ You also say, ‘^[o]My, how ^(AC)tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the Lord of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by ^(AD)robbery and what is ^(AE)lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I ^(AF)receive that from your hand?” says the Lord. ¹⁴ “But cursed be the ^(AG)swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a ^(AH)blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great ^(AI)King,” says the Lord of hosts, “and My name is ^[p](AJ)feared among the ^[q]nations.”