Jehovah’s Love for Israel & Their Denial of it (1:1-5)

CHAPTER 1

1 The burden of the word of Jehovah to Israel by Malachi. 2 I have loved you, saith Jehovah; but ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob’s brother? saith Jehovah, and I loved Jacob, 3 and I hated Esau; and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his inheritance to the jackals of the wilderness. 4 If Edom say, We are broken down, but we will build again the ruined places, — thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They shall build, but I will throw down; and men shall call them the territory of wickedness, and the people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever. 5 And your eyes shall see it, and ye shall say, Jehovah is magnified beyond the border of Israel.

Profaning the Table of the Lord (1:6-14)

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 Jehovah of hosts unto you, priests, that despise my name. But ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? 7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is contemptible. 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? Present it now unto thy governor: will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 And now, I pray you, beseech GOD that he will be gracious unto us. This hath been of your hand: will he accept any of your persons? saith Jehovah of hosts. 10 Who is there among you that would even shut the doors? and ye would not kindle fire on mine altar for nothing. I have no delight in you, saith Jehovah of hosts, neither will I accept an oblation at your hand. 11 For from the rising of the sun even unto its setting my name shall be great among the nations; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure oblation: for my name shall be great among the nations, saith Jehovah of hosts. 12 But ye profane it, in that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted; and the fruit thereof, his food, is contemptible. 13 And ye say, Behold, what a weariness! And ye have puffed at it, saith Jehovah of hosts, and ye bring that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye bring the oblation: should I accept this of your hand? saith Jehovah. 14 Yea, cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is terrible among the nations.

The Original Purpose of the Priesthood (2:1-7)

CHAPTER 2

1 And now, ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If ye do not hear, and if ye do not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will even send the curse among you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have already cursed them, because ye do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts; and they shall take you away with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and trembled before my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. 7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they seek the law; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts.

The Moral Corruption of the Priesthood (2:8-9)

8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts. 9 And I also have made you contemptible and base before all the people, because ye have not kept my ways, but have respect of persons in administering the law.

The Doctrinal Corruption of the Priesthood (2:10-17)

10 Have we not all one father? Hath not one GOD created us? Why do we deal unfaithfully every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah hath dealt unfaithfully, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the sanctuary of Jehovah which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange GOD. 12 Jehovah will cut off from the tents of Jacob the man that doeth this, him that calleth and him that answereth; and him that offereth an oblation unto Jehovah of hosts. 13 And further ye do this: ye cover the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, insomuch that he regardeth not the oblation any more, nor receiveth it with satisfaction at your hand. 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because Jehovah hath been a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt unfaithfully: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not one make them? and the remnant of the Spirit was his. And wherefore the one? He sought a seed of God. Take heed then to your spirit, and let none deal unfaithfully against the wife of his youth, 16 (for I hate putting away, saith Jehovah the God of Israel;) and he covereth with violence his garment, saith Jehovah of hosts: take heed then to your spirit, that ye deal not unfaithfully. 17 Ye have wearied Jehovah with your words, and ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? In that ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of Jehovah, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

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