Malachi 1:6-2:9 - LSB - Legacy Standard Bible

Malachi 1:6-2:9

The Priests Defile Yahweh

6 “‘A son ^ahonors his father, and a slave his master. Then if I am a ^bfather, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is the fear of Me?’ says Yahweh of hosts to you, O ^cpriests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ 7 You are presenting ^adefiled ¹^bfood upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The ^ctable of Yahweh is to be despised.’ 8 But when you present the ^ablind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Please, bring it near to your ^bgovernor! Would he accept you? Or would he lift up your face?” says Yahweh of hosts. 9 “But now, ¹^aentreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us! With this thing which is from your hand, will He ^blift up any of your faces?” says Yahweh of hosts. 10 “Oh that there were one among you who would ^ashut the ¹gates, that you might not light a fire on My altar in vain! I have no delight in you,” says Yahweh of hosts, “^bnor will I accept an offering from your hand. 11 For from the ^arising of the sun even to its setting, ^bMy name will be ^cgreat among the nations, and in every place ^dincense is going to be presented to My name, as well as a grain offering that is clean; for My name will be ^egreat among the nations,” says Yahweh of hosts. 12 “But you are ^aprofaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ 13 You also say, ‘Behold, how ^atiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by ^brobbery and what is ^clame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I ^daccept that from your hand?” says Yahweh. 14 “But cursed be the ^aswindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a ¹^bblemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great ^cKing,” says Yahweh of hosts, “and My name is ²^dfeared among the ³nations.”

I Will Curse Your Blessings

“And now this commandment is for you, O priests. 2 If you do ^anot listen, and if you do not set it upon your heart to give ¹honor to My name,” says Yahweh of hosts, “then I will send the ^bcurse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have ^ccursed them already because you are not setting it upon your heart. 3 Behold, I am going to ^arebuke your seed, and I will ^bspread ¹refuse on your faces, the ¹refuse of your ^cfeasts; and you will be taken away ²with it. 4 Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, ¹that My ^acovenant may ²continue with Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. 5 “My covenant with him was one of life and ^apeace, and I gave them to him as something to be ¹feared; so he ^bfeared Me and stood in ²awe of My name. 6 ¹^aInstruction of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked ^bwith Me in peace and uprightness, and he ^cturned many back from iniquity. 7 For the lips of a priest should keep ^aknowledge, and ¹men should ^bseek ²instruction from his mouth; for he is the ^cmessenger of Yahweh of hosts. 8 But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to ^astumble ¹by the instruction; you have ²^bcorrupted the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. 9 “So ^aI also have made you despised and ^blow ¹before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing ^cpartiality in the ²instruction.