1The burdenH4853 of the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 to IsraelH3478 byH3027 MalachiH4401. 2I have lovedH157 you, saithH5002 the LORDH3068. Yet ye sayH559, Wherein hast thou lovedH157 us? Was not EsauH6215 Jacob'sH3290 brotherH251? saithH559 the LORDH3068: yet I lovedH157 JacobH3290, 3And I hatedH8130 EsauH6215, and laidH7760 his mountainsH2022 and his heritageH5159 wasteH8077 for the dragonsH8568 of the wildernessH4057. 4Whereas EdomH123 saithH559, We are impoverishedH7567, but we will returnH7725 and buildH1129 the desolate placesH2723; thus saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635, They shall buildH1129, but I will throw downH2040 ; and they shall callH7121 them, The borderH1366 of wickednessH7564, and, The peopleH5971 against whom the LORDH3068 hath indignationH2194 forH5704 everH5769. 5And your eyesH5869 shall seeH7200, and ye shall sayH559, The LORDH3068 will be magnifiedH1431 from the borderH1366 of IsraelH3478. 6A sonH1121 honourethH3513 his fatherH1, and a servantH5650 his masterH113: if then I be a fatherH1, where is mine honourH3519? and if I be a masterH113, where is my fearH4172? saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635 unto you, O priestsH3548, that despiseH959 my nameH8034. And ye sayH559, Wherein have we despisedH959 thy nameH8034? 7Ye offerH5066 pollutedH1351 breadH3899 upon mine altarH4196; and ye sayH559, Wherein have we pollutedH1351 thee? In that ye sayH559, The tableH7979 of the LORDH3068 is contemptibleH959 . 8And if ye offerH5066 the blindH5787 for sacrificeH2076, is it not evilH7451? and if ye offerH5066 the lameH6455 and sickH2470, is it not evilH7451? offerH7126 it now unto thy governorH6346; will he be pleasedH7521 with thee, or acceptH5375 thy personH6440? saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635. 9And now, I pray you, beseechH2470 H6440 GodH410 that he will be graciousH2603 unto us: this hath been by your meansH3027: will he regardH5375 your personsH6440? saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635. 10Who is there even among you that would shutH5462 the doorsH1817 for nought? neither do ye kindleH215 fire on mine altarH4196 for noughtH2600. I have no pleasureH2656 in you, saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635, neither will I acceptH7521 an offeringH4503 at your handH3027. 11For from the risingH4217 of the sunH8121 even unto the going downH3996 of the same my nameH8034 shall be greatH1419 among the GentilesH1471; and in every placeH4725 incenseH6999 shall be offeredH5066 unto my nameH8034, and a pureH2889 offeringH4503: for my nameH8034 shall be greatH1419 among the heathenH1471, saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635. 12But ye have profanedH2490 it, in that ye sayH559, The tableH7979 of the LORDH3068 is pollutedH1351 ; and the fruitH5108 thereof, even his meatH400, is contemptibleH959 . 13Ye saidH559 also, Behold, what a wearinessH4972 is it! and ye have snuffedH5301 at it, saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635; and ye broughtH935 that which was tornH1497, and the lameH6455, and the sickH2470 ; thus ye broughtH935 an offeringH4503: should I acceptH7521 this of your handH3027? saithH559 the LORDH3068. 14But cursedH779 be the deceiverH5230, whichH3426 hath in his flockH5739 a maleH2145, and vowethH5087, and sacrificethH2076 unto the LordH136 a corrupt thingH7843 : for I am a greatH1419 KingH4428, saithH559 the LORDH3068 of hostsH6635, and my nameH8034 is dreadfulH3372 among the heathenH1471.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 GOD'S LOVE: ISRAEL'S INGRATITUDE: THE PRIESTS' MERCENARY SPIRIT: A GENTILE SPIRITUAL PRIESTHOOD SHALL SUPERSEDE THEM. (
Mal 1:1-
Mal 1:14)
burden--heavy sentence.
to Israel--represented now by the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with individuals of the ten tribes who had returned with the Jews from Babylon. So "Israel" is used,
Ezra 7:10. Compare
2Chr 21:2, "Jehoshaphat king of Israel," where Judah, rather than the ten tribes, is regarded as the truest representative of Israel (compare
2Chr 12:6;
2Chr 28:19).
Malachi--see Introduction. God sent no prophet after him till John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, in order to enflame His people with the more ardent desire for Him, the great antitype and fulfiller of prophecy.
2 I have loved you--above other men; nay, even above the other descendants of Abraham and Isaac. Such gratuitous love on My part called for love on yours. But the return ye make is sin and dishonor to Me. This which is to be supplied is left unexpressed, sorrow as it were breaking off the sentence [MENOCHIUS], (
Deut 7:8;
Hos 11:1).
Wherein hast thou loved us?--In painful contrast to the tearful tenderness of God's love stands their insolent challenge. The root of their sin was insensibility to God's love, and to their own wickedness. Having had prosperity taken from them, they imply they have no tokens of God's love; they look at what God had taken, not at what God had left. God's love is often least acknowledged where it is most manifested. We must not infer God does not love us because He afflicts us. Men, instead of referring their sufferings to their proper cause, their own sin, impiously accuse God of indifference to their welfare [MOORE]. Thus
Mal 1:1-
Mal 1:4 form a fit introduction to the whole prophecy.
Was not Esau Jacob's brother?--and so, as far as dignity went, as much entitled to God's favor as Jacob. My adoption of Jacob, therefore, was altogether by gratuitous favor (
Rom 9:13). So God has passed by our elder brethren, the angels who kept not their first estate, and yet He has provided salvation for man. The perpetual rejection of the fallen angels, like the perpetual desolations of Edom, attests God's severity to the lost, and goodness to those gratuitously saved. The sovereign eternal purpose of God is the only ground on which He bestows on one favors withheld from another. There are difficulties in referring salvation to the election of God, there are greater in referring it to the election of man [MOORE]. Jehovah illustrates His condescension and patience in arguing the case with them.
3 hated--not positively, but relatively; that is, did not choose him out to be the object of gratuitous favor, as I did Jacob (compare
Luke 14:26, with
Matt 10:37;
Gen 29:30-
Gen 29:31;
Deut 21:15-
Deut 21:16).
laid his mountains . . . waste--that is, his territory which was generally mountainous. Israel was, it is true, punished by the Chaldeans, but Edom has been utterly destroyed; namely, either by Nebuchadnezzar [ROSENMULLER], or by the neighboring peoples, Egypt, Ammon, and Moab [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 10.9,7; MAURER], (
Jer 49:18).
dragons--jackals [MOORE] (compare
Isa 34:13). MAURER translates, "Abodes of the wilderness," from an Arabic root "to stop," or "to abide." English Version is better.
4 Whereas--"But if" Edom say [MAURER]. Edom may strive as she may to recover herself, but it shall be in vain, for I doom her to perpetual desolation, whereas I restore Israel. This Jehovah states, to illustrate His gratuitous love to Israel, rather than to Edom.
border of wickedness--a region given over to the curse of reprobation [CALVIN]. For a time Judea seemed as desolate as Idumea; but though the latter was once the highway of Eastern commerce, now the lonely rock-houses of Petra attest the fulfilment of the prophecy. It is still "the border of wickedness," being the resort of the marauding tribes of the desert. Judea's restoration, though delayed, is yet certain.
the Lord hath indignation--"the people of My curse" (
Isa 34:5).
5 from the border of Israel--Ye, restored to your own "borders" in Israel, "from" them shall raise your voices to "magnify the Lord," acknowledging that Jehovah has shown to you a gratuitous favor not shown to Edom, and so ought to be especially "magnified from the borders of Israel."
6 Turning from the people to the priests, Jehovah asks, whereas His love to the people was so great, where was their love towards Him? If the priests, as they profess, regard Him as their Father (
Isa 63:16) and Master, let them show the reality of their profession by love and reverential fear (
Exod 20:12;
Luke 6:46). He addresses the priests because they ought to be leaders in piety to the rest of the people, whereas they are foremost in "despising His name."
Wherein have we despised, &c.--The same captious spirit of self-satisfied insensibility as prompted their question (
Mal 1:2), "Wherein hast Thou loved us?" They are blind alike to God's love and their own guilt.
7 ye offer, &c.--God's answer to their challenge (
Mal 1:6), "Wherein have we despised?"
polluted bread--namely, blemished sacrifices (
Mal 1:8,
Mal 1:13-
Mal 1:14;
Deut 15:21). So "the bread of thy God" is used for "sacrifices to God" (
Lev 21:8).
polluted thee--that is, offered to thee "polluted bread."
table of the Lord--that is, the altar (
Ezek 41:22) (not the table of showbread). Just as the sacrificial flesh is called "bread."
contemptible-- (
Mal 1:12-
Mal 1:13). Ye sanction the niggardly and blemished offerings of the people on the altar, to gain favor with them. Darius, and probably his successors, had liberally supplied them with victims for sacrifice, yet they presented none but the worst. A cheap religion, costing little, is rejected by God, and so is worth nothing. It costs more than it is worth, for it is worth nothing, and so proves really dear. God despises not the widow's mite, but he does despise the miser's mite [MOORE].
8 Your earthly ruler would feel insulted, if offered by you the offering with which ye put off God (see
Lev 22:22,
Lev 22:24).
is it not evil?--MAURER translates, "There is no evil," in your opinion, in such an offering; it is quite good enough for such a purpose.
9 now . . . beseech God that he will be gracious--Ironical. Think you that God will be persuaded by such polluted gifts to be gracious to you? Far from it.
this hath been by your means--literally, "hand." These contemptible offerings are your doing, as being the priests mediating between God and the people; and think you, will God pay any regard to you (compare
Mal 1:8,
Mal 1:10)? "Accept thy person" ("face"),
Mal 1:8, answers to "regard your persons," in this verse.
10 Who . . . for naught--Not one even of the least priestly functions (as shutting the doors, or kindling a fire on the altar) would ye exercise without pay, therefore ye ought to fulfil them faithfully (
1Cor 9:13). DRUSIUS and MAURER translate, "Would that there were absolutely some one of you who would shut the doors of the temple (that is, of the inner court, in which was the altar of burnt offerings), and that ye would not kindle fire on My altar in vain!" Better no sacrifices than vain ones (
Isa 1:11-
Isa 1:15). It was the duty of some of the priests to stand at the doors of the court of the altar of burnt offerings, and to have excluded blemished victims [CALVIN].
11 For--Since ye Jewish priests and people "despise My name" (
Mal 1:6), I shall find others who will magnify it (
Matt 3:9). Do not think I shall have no worshippers because I have not you; for from the east to the west My name shall be great among the Gentiles (
Isa 66:19-
Isa 66:20), those very peoples whom ye look down upon as abominable.
pure offering--not "the blind, the lame, and the sick," such as ye offer (
Mal 1:8). "In every place," implies the catholicity of the Christian Church (
John 4:21,
John 4:23;
1Tim 2:8). The "incense" is figurative of prayers (
Ps 141:2;
Rev 8:3). "Sacrifice" is used metaphorically (
Ps 51:17;
Heb 13:10,
Heb 13:15-
Heb 13:16;
1Pet 2:5,
1Pet 2:12). In this sense the reference to the Lord's Supper, maintained by many of the fathers, may be admitted; it, like prayer, is a spiritual offering, accepted through the literal offering of the "Lamb without blemish," once for all slain.
12 Renewal of the charge in
Mal 1:7.
fruit . . . meat--the offerings of the people. The "fruit" is the produce of the altar, on which the priests subsisted. They did not literally say, The Lord's table is contemptible; but their acts virtually said so. They did not act so as to lead the people to reverence, and to offer their best to the Lord on it. The people were poor, and put off God with the worst offerings. The priests let them do so, for fear of offending the people, and so losing all gains from them.
13 what a weariness is it!--Ye regard God's service as irksome, and therefore try to get it over by presenting the most worthless offerings. Compare
Mic 6:3, where God challenges His people to show wherein is the "weariness" or hardship of His service. Also
Isa 43:22-
Isa 43:24, wherein He shows that it is they who have "wearied" Him, not He who has wearied them.
snuffed at--despised.
it--the table of the Lord, and the meat on it (
Mal 1:12).
torn--namely, by beasts, which it was not lawful to eat, much less to offer (
Exod 22:31).
thus . . . offering--Hebrew, mincha; the unbloody offering of flour, &c. Though this may have been of ordinary ingredients, yet the sacrifices of blemished animals accompanying it rendered it unacceptable.
14 deceiver--hypocrite. Not poverty, but avarice was the cause of their mean offerings.
male--required by law (
Lev 1:3,
Lev 1:10).
great King-- (
Ps 48:2;
Matt 5:35).
my name . . . dreadful among . . . heathen--Even the heathen dread Me because of My judgments; what a reproach this is to you, My people, who fear Me not (
Mal 1:6)! Also it may be translated, "shall be feared among," &c. agreeing with the prophecy of the call of the Gentiles (
Mal 1:11).