Malachi1
English Standard Version
1The of the of the Lord to .
2I have you, the Lord. But you , have you us? Is not ? the Lord. Yet I have
3but I have . I have his country and left his to of the .
4 , We are but we the , the Lord of , may , but I will tear , and they will be the , and the with the Lord is .
5Your own shall this, and you shall , is the Lord the of !
6A his , and a his . then am a , is my ? And am a , is my ? the Lord of to you, O , who my . But you , have we your ?
7By my . But you , have we you? By that the Lord ’s may be .
8When you animals in , is that ? And when those that are or , is that ? that to your ; will he you you ? the Lord of .
9And the of , that he may be to us. With a gift from your , will he to of you? the Lord of .
10 there were one among you who would the , that you might fire on my in ! I have in you, the Lord of , and I will an from your .
11For from the of the to its my will be , and in will be to my , and a . my will be , the Lord of .
12But it when you that the Lord’s Lord’s is , and its , that is, its may be .
13But you , a this is, and you at it, the Lord of . You what has been taken by or is or , and this you as your ! Shall I that from your ? the Lord.
14 be the has a in his , and it, and yet to the what is . I am a , the Lord of , and my will be .
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Malachi 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The ingratitude of Israel. (1–5). They are careless in God's institutions. (6–14).
vv1-5
All advantages, either as to outward circumstances, or spiritual privileges, come from the free love of God, who makes one to differ from another. All the evils sinners feel and fear, are the just recompence of their crimes, while all their hopes and comforts are from the unmerited mercy of the Lord. He chose his people that they might be holy. If we love him, it is because he has first loved us; yet we all are prone to undervalue the mercies of God, and to excuse our own offences.
vv6-14
We may each charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests. Our relation to God, as our Father and Master, strongly obliges us to fear and honour him. But they were so scornful that they derided reproof. Sinners ruin themselves by trying to baffle their convictions. Those who live in careless neglect of holy ordinances, who attend on them without reverence, and go from them under no concern, in effect say, The table of the Lord is contemptible. They despised God's name in what they did. It is evident that these understood not the meaning of the sacrifices, as shadowing forth the unblemished Lamb of God; they grudged the expense, thinking all thrown away which did not turn to their profit. If we worship God ignorantly, and without understanding, we bring the blind for sacrifice; if we do it carelessly, if we are cold, dull, and dead in it, we bring the sick; if we rest in the bodily exercise, and do not make heart-work of it, we bring the lame; and if we suffer vain thoughts and distractions to lodge within us, we bring the torn. And is not this evil? Is it not a great affront to God, and a great wrong and injury to our own souls? In order to the acceptance of our actions with God, it is not enough to do that which, for the matter of it, is good; but we must do it from a right principle, in a right manner, and for a right end. Our constant mercies from God, make worse our slothfulness and niggardliness, in our returns of duty to God. A spiritual worship shall be established. Incense shall be offered to God's name, which signifies prayer and praise. And it shall be a pure offering. When the hour came, in which the true worshippers worshipped the Father in Spirit and in truth, then this incense was offered, even this pure offering. We may rely on God's mercy for pardon as to the past, but not for indulgence to sin in future. If there be a willing mind, it will be accepted, though defective; but if any be a deceiver, devoting his best to Satan and to his lusts, he is under a curse. Men now, though in a different way, profane the name of the Lord, pollute his table, and show contempt for his worship.
Key Words
מַשָּׂא: a burden; specifically, tribute, or (abstractly) porterage; figuratively, an utterance, chiefly adoom, especially singing; mental, desire
דָּבָר: a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
יָד: a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),
מַלְאָכִי: Malaki, a prophet
אָהַב: to have affection for (sexually or otherwise)
נְאֻם: an oracle
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
מָה: properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
עֵשָׂו: Esav, a son of Isaac, including his posterity
Cross References
Malachi 1Paul explicitly quotes 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated' to ground election.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Deuteronomy grounds Israel's election in the Lord's sovereign, gratuitous choice, parallels Malachi's opening love claim.
Supported by JFB
Jesus declares true worshippers will worship in spirit and truth everywhere, fulfilling universal pure offerings.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The technical prophetic term 'burden' (massa) carries a weight of judgment, as in Zechariah.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Relates to the claim of God as Father, which Israel's priests fail to honor.
Supported by JFB
Those who honor God He honors, but those who despise Him (as priests here) are lightly esteemed.
Supported by John Calvin, JFB
Levitical law strictly forbids offering blind, lame, or blemished sacrifices, which Malachi's priests violated.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Illustrates 'hated' as a relative Semitic term for loving less, comparing Jacob and Esau.
Supported by JFB
Depicts Edom's utter desolation, overrun by desert creatures/dragons, echoing God's judgement.
Supported by JFB
The Fifth Commandment on honoring a father underlies God's appeal to his own fatherhood.
Supported by JFB
Contrasts the 'table of the Lord' with the table of devils, echoing the altar terminology.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Specifically forbids sacrificing animals with any ill blemish, such as lameness or blindness.
Supported by Matthew Poole
God rejects vain offerings and worthless temple attendance, preferring obedience and sincere worship.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Legal distinction of the beloved and hated wife; clarifies the comparative meaning of 'hated'.
Supported by JFB
Establishes the link between Edom's persistent, self-willed rebuild attempt and God's sovereign curse.
Supported by JFB
Incense as a type representing prayers of the saints offered in every place.
Supported by Matthew Henry