MALACHI - Chapter 1

The oracle of the word of YAHWEH to Israel through Malachi.

"I have loved you," says YAHWEH. But you say, "How have You loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares YAHWEH. "Yet I have loved Jacob; but I have hated Esau, and I have made his mountains a desolation and appointed his inheritance for the jackals of the wilderness."

Though Edom says, "We have been beaten down, but we will return and build up the ruins"; thus says YAHWEH of hosts, "They may build, but I will tear down; and men will call them the wicked territory, and the people toward whom YAHWEH is indignant forever."

Your eyes will see this and you will say, "YAHWEH be magnified beyond the border of Israel!"

"'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says YAHWEH of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, 'How have we despised Your name?' You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled You?' In that you say, 'The table of YAHWEH is to be despised.'

"But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says YAHWEH of hosts. "But now will you not entreat Elohim's favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?" says YAHWEH of hosts.

"Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says YAHWEH of hosts, "nor will I accept an offering from you. For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations," says YAHWEH of hosts.

"But you are profaning it, in that you say, 'The table of YAHWEH is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.' "You also say, 'My, how tiresome it is!' And you disdainfully sniff at it," says YAHWEH of hosts, "and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?" says YAHWEH. "But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to YAHWEH, for I am a great King," says YAHWEH of hosts, "and My name is feared among the nations."

Chapter 2

"And now this commandment is for you, O priests. If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name," says YAHWEH of hosts, "then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.

"Behold, I am going to rebuke your offspring, and I will spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it. Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that My covenant may continue with Levi," says YAHWEH of hosts.

"My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of reverence; so he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity.

"For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of YAHWEH of hosts. But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by the instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says YAHWEH of hosts.

"So I also have made you despised and abased before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the instruction. Do we not all have one father? Has not one Elohim created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?

"Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of YAHWEH which He loves and has married the daughter of a foreign Elohim. As for the man who does this, may YAHWEH cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers, or who presents an offering to YAHWEH of hosts.

"This is another thing you do: you cover the altar of YAHWEH with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because YAHWEH has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

"But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking a seed from Elohim? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.

"For I hate divorce," says YAHWEH, the Elohim of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with wrong," says YAHWEH of hosts. "So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously."

You have wearied YAHWEH with your words. Yet you say, "How have we wearied Him?" In that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of YAHWEH, and He delights in them," or, "Where is the Elohim of justice?" 

HalleluYah!