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An oracle. The word of the class="small-caps" >Lord to Israel by Malachi.
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Israel Preferred to Edom
“I have loved you,” says the class="small-caps" >Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the class="small-caps" >Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob,
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but I have hated Esau; I have made his hill country a desolation and his heritage a desert for jackals.
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If Edom says, ‘We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,’ the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts says: They may build, but I will tear down, until they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the class="small-caps" >Lord is angry forever.
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Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, ‘Great is the class="small-caps" >Lord beyond the borders of Israel!’ ”
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Corruption of the Priesthood
A son honors his father and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is the honor due me? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, “How have we despised your name?”
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By offering polluted food on my altar. And you say, “How have we polluted it?” By thinking that the class="small-caps" >Lord’s table may be despised.
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When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try presenting that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts.
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And now implore the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. The fault is yours. Will he show favor to any of you? says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts.
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For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name and a pure offering, for my name is great among the nations, says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts.
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But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted and its food may be despised.
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“What a weariness this is,” you say, and you sniff at it, says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the class="small-caps" >Lord.
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Cursed be the cheat who has a male in the flock and vows to give it and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished, for I am a great King, says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations.
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And now, O priests, this command is for you.
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If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings; indeed, I have already cursed them because you do not lay it to heart.
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Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts.
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My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.
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But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts,
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so I make you despised and humbled before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction.
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The Covenant Profaned by Judah
Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?
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Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the class="small-caps" >Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
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For the one who does this, may the class="small-caps" >Lord cut off any witness or advocate from the tents of Jacob or anyone who could bring an offering to the class="small-caps" >Lord of hosts.
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And this you do as well: You cover the class="small-caps" >Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor at your hand.
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You ask, “Why does he not?” Because the class="small-caps" >Lord was a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.
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Did God not make them one, flesh with spirit in it? And what does the one desire? Godly offspring. So look to yourselves, and do not let anyone be faithless to the wife of his youth.