1The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel, in the hand of Malachi, the prophet.

2I loved you, saith the Lord, and ye said, In what thing lovedest thou us? Whether Esau was not the brother of Jacob, saith the Lord, and I loved Jacob,

3but I hated Esau? And I have put Seir, the hills of him, into wilderness, and his heritage into dragons of desert.

4That if Idumea saith, We be destroyed, but we shall turn again, and build those things that be destroyed; the Lord of hosts saith these things, These men shall build, and I shall destroy; and they shall be called the terms of wickedness, and a people to whom the Lord is wroth, till into without end.

5And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord be magnified on the term of Israel.

6The son honoureth the father, and the servant shall dread his lord; therefore if I am the father, where is mine honour? and if I am the lord, where is my dread? saith the Lord of hosts. A! ye priests, to you that despise my name; and ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

7Ye offer on mine altar defouled, either unclean, bread, and ye say, Wherein have we defouled thee? In that thing that ye say, The board of the Lord is despised.

8If ye offer a blind beast to be sacrificed, whether it is not evil? And if ye offer a crooked and sick beast, whether it is not evil? Offer thou it to thy duke, if it shall please him, either if he shall receive thy face, saith the Lord of hosts.

9And now beseech ye the cheer of the Lord, that he have mercy on you; for of your hand this thing is done, if in any manner he receive your faces, saith the Lord of hosts.

10Who is in you that closeth doors, and burneth mine altar of his own will, either freely? Will or Delight is not to me in you, saith the Lord of hosts; and I shall not receive a gift of your hand.

11For from the rising of the sun till to the going down, my name is great among heathen men; and in each place a clean offering is sacrificed, and offered to my name; for my name is great among heathen men, saith the Lord of hosts.

12And ye have defouled it in that that ye say, The board of the Lord is defouled, and that that is put above is contemptible, or worthy for to be despised, with [the] fire that devoureth it.

13And ye said, Lo! of travail; and ye have blown it away, saith the Lord of hosts. And ye brought in of ravens a crooked thing, and sick, and brought in a gift; whether I shall receive it of your hand? saith the Lord.

14Cursed is the guileful, that hath in his flock a male beast, and he making a vow, offereth a feeble beast to the Lord; for I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among folks.