1 Malachi complains of Israel’s unkindness. 6 Of their irreligiousness, 12 and profaneness.

¹ The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

² I have loved you, says the LORD. Yet you say, Wherein have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the LORD: yet I loved Jacob,

³ And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

⁴ Whereas Edom said, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus says 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 has indignation for ever.

⁵ And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, The LORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. ¶

⁶ A son honors his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honor? and if I be a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, that despise my name. And you say, Wherein have we despised your name?

⁷ You offer polluted bread on my altar; and you say, Wherein have we polluted you? In that you say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

⁸ And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now to your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.

⁹ And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious to us: this has been by your means: will he regard your persons? says the LORD of hosts.

¹⁰ Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nothing? neither do you kindle fire on my altar for nothing. I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

¹¹ For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, says the LORD of hosts. ¶

¹² But you have profaned it, in that you say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

¹³ You said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and you have snuffed at it, says the LORD of hosts; and you brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus you brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? says the LORD.

¹⁴ But cursed be the deceiver, which has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.