Malachi 1:1 - 2:7

1. A revelation, יהוה ’s word to Israel by Malachi.

2. “I have loved you,” says יהוה . Yet you say, “How have you loved us?” “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says יהוה , “Yet I loved Jacob;

3. But Esau I hated, and made his mountains a desolation, and gave his heritage to the jackals of the wilderness.”

4. Whereas Edom says, “We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places”; יהוה of Armies says, “They shall build, but I will throw down; and men will call them ‘The Wicked Land,’ even the people against whom יהוה shows wrath forever.”

5. Your eyes will see, and you will say, “ יהוה is great—even beyond the border of Israel!”

6. “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, then where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says יהוה of Armies to you, priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’

7. You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ In that you say, ‘ יהוה ’s table is contemptible.’

8. When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says יהוה of Armies.

9. “Now, please entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With this, will he accept any of you?” says יהוה of Armies.

10. “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says יהוה of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

11. For from the rising of the sun even to the going down of the same, my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering: for my name is great among the nations,” says יהוה of Armies.

12. “But you profane it, in that you say, ‘ יהוה ’s table is polluted, and its fruit, even its food, is contemptible.’

13. You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says יהוה of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says יהוה .

14. “But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says יהוה of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”

Chapter 2 

1. “Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.

2. If you will not listen, and if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says יהוה of Armies, “then will I send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart.

3. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.

4. You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says יהוה of Armies.

5. “My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.

6. The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.

7. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of יהוה of Armies.

ETZ CHAIM

It is a tree of life for those who cling to it, and those who uphold it are happy.  Its ways are pleasant, and all of its paths peaceful.

Return us to you, Lord, so that we shall return, renew our days as of old.