Malachi 1:6-Malachi 2:9 - An Oracle Against The Temple Priesthood
6 Jehovah of Hosts declares to the priests: Children honor their parents and servants honor their masters. I am your father. Why do you not honor me? I am your master. Why do you not respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask: How have we despised you?
7 This is how you despise me. You offer worthless food on my altar. Then you ask: 'How have we failed to respect you?' I tell you it is by showing contempt for my altar.
8 You bring blind, sick and lame animals to sacrifice to me. Do you think there is nothing wrong with that? Try giving an animal like that to the governor! Would he be pleased with you or grant you any favors? 9 Try asking God to show you favor. He will not answer your prayer! It will be your fault, Jehovah the Almighty declares. 10 Jehovah of Hosts continues: Is there one among you who will shut the Temple doors to prevent lighting a useless fire on my altar. I am not pleased with you! I will not accept the offerings you bring me.
11 Where ever the sun rises and sets my name will be great among the people of the nations. Incense will be offered to my name everywhere. It will be a pure offering! For my name will be great among the nations, said Jehovah of Hosts.
12 You profane it by saying: 'The table of Jehovah is polluted and the fruit and food on it is contemptible.' 13 And you say: 'We are tired of all this!' You turn up your nose at me. You offer the lame and the sick and even stolen animals, said Jehovah. Do you think I will accept that from you?
14 The cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me will be cursed. For he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! I am a great King, Jehovah of Hosts declares. People of all nations will respect my name!
1 [Jehovah God the Almighty speaks to the priests:] This command is for you. 2 You must honor me by your actions. If you will not listen to what I say, and give glory and honor to my name, I will bring a curse on you. I will put a curse on the things you receive for your support. I have already put a curse on you. Your blessings are cursed already because you do not take my command seriously.
3 I will punish your children and rub your faces in the dung of the animals you sacrifice! You will be taken away with the dung heap of your feasts. 4 You will know I sent this commandment to you! This way my covenant with Levi will continue, said Jehovah of Hosts. 5 My covenant was with him [Levi]. It was of life and peace. I gave them to him that he might reverence me. He respected me and stood in awe of my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth. Unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness. He turned many away from iniquity. 7 The priests should teach the true knowledge of God. They are the messengers of Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore the people should learn (my will) the law from them.
8 You priests have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has led many to do wrong. You have corrupted the covenant I made with Levi (you). 9 I caused you to be despised and low before all the people. You are contemptible and do not keep my ways. You show partiality when applying the law.