Priests Rebuked for Polluting the Offerings
Malachi 1:6-14
Mal.1.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יכבד: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ועבד: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אדניו: NOUN,m,sg,abs+POSS,3,m,sg
- ואם: CONJ
- אב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- איה: ADV,interr
- כבודי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,poss:1cs
- ואם: CONJ
- אדונים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- איה: ADV,interr
- מוראי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- הכהנים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- בוזי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- שמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- ואמרתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- במה: PREP+PRON,interr
- בזינו: VERB,qal,perf,1,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- שמך: NOUN,m,sg,cs,2,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Samuel 2:30 (verbal): God contrasts honor and contempt—'them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed'—echoing Malachi's complaint that the priests fail to honor God.
- Leviticus 22:2 (verbal): A priestly injunction not to profane God's name ('I am holy'), linking priestly conduct directly to the honor due God's name as Malachi charges the priests.
- Leviticus 10:3 (allusion): After Nadab and Abihu's deaths Aaron is told that God will be sanctified by those near him—an earlier priestly admonition about reverence that Malachi echoes in rebuking priestly disrespect.
- Isaiah 29:13 (thematic): Condemns hollow worship—'they honour me with their lips, but their heart is far from me'—paralleling Malachi's charge that the priests demean God's name while questioning how they have done so.
- Amos 5:21-24 (thematic): God rejects ritual and offerings when justice and true devotion are absent, resonating with Malachi's indictment of priests whose actions profane God's name.
Alternative generated candidates
- A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? — says the LORD of hosts. You, O priests, despise my name, and you ask, “How have we despised your name?”
- A son honors his father, and a servant his master; if then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my reverence?—says the LORD of hosts. You priests have despised my name, and you ask, 'How have we despised your name?'
Mal.1.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מגישים: VERB,qal,ptc,3,m,pl
- על: PREP
- מזבחי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- לחם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מגאל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואמרתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- במה: PREP+PRON,interr
- גאלנוך: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- באמרכם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+2mp
- שלחן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- נבזה: VERB,nip,ptc,3,m,sg
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Leviticus 22:20-25 (verbal): Law demanding unblemished offerings—prohibits giving defective animals for sacrifice, echoing Malachi’s complaint that the people offer polluted/contemptible things on God’s altar.
- Isaiah 1:11-15 (thematic): Isaiah rejects the people's sacrifices because their worship is hypocritical; like Malachi, God condemns ritual offerings when they are dishonorable and accompanied by sin.
- Amos 5:21-24 (thematic): God says he despises festivals and offerings and calls for justice and righteousness instead—paralleling Malachi’s denunciation of offerings that profane the Lord’s table.
- Malachi 1:8 (structural): Immediate parallel within the same oracle: explicit accusation that priests offer blind and lame animals and 'profaned' sacrifices, continuing the rebuke begun in 1:7.
- Micah 6:6-8 (thematic): Rhetorical challenge to worth of abundant offerings; emphasizes that God requires justice and mercy rather than empty or inappropriate sacrifices, contrasting with the people’s contemptible offerings in Malachi.
Alternative generated candidates
- You bring defiled bread on my altar, and you say, “How have we defiled you?”—by saying, “The table of the LORD is contemptible.”
- You bring polluted bread upon my altar; yet you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying, 'The LORD's table is contemptible.'
Mal.1.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וכי: CONJ
- תגשון: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- עור: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לזבח: VERB,qal,inf
- אין: PART,neg
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- וכי: CONJ
- תגישו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- פסח: ADJ,m,sg
- וחלה: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- אין: PART,neg
- רע: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- הקריבהו: VERB,hif,impf,3,m,sg+3,m,sg
- נא: PART
- לפחתך: NOUN,m,sg,cs+2,m,sg
- הירצך: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg+2,m,sg
- או: CONJ
- הישא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- פניך: NOUN,f,pl,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Leviticus 22:20-25 (verbal): Explicit priestly law forbids offering blind, lame, or diseased animals; directly parallels Malachi’s rebuke of presenting defective sacrifices to God.
- Isaiah 1:11-15 (thematic): Isaiah condemns worthless offerings and hypocritical worship, saying God is weary of sacrifices offered by a sinful people—thematising the same rejection of unacceptable gifts.
- Amos 5:21-24 (thematic): God rejects Israel’s festivals and sacrifices while calling for justice and righteousness, echoing Malachi’s denunciation of outward ritual paired with contemptible practice.
- 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (thematic): Samuel’s statement that obedience is better than sacrifice highlights the priority of covenant faithfulness over ritual offerings, a principle underlying Malachi’s critique.
- Psalm 50:7-13 (thematic): God declares He does not need sacrifices and calls for thanksgiving and upright conduct; this challenges the notion that substandard offerings can placate the LORD, as in Malachi.
Alternative generated candidates
- When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice — is that not evil? And when you offer the lame or the sick — is that not evil? Present it now to your governor; will he be pleased with you, or will he accept your person? — says the LORD of hosts.
- If you offer a blind animal for sacrifice, is that not wrong? And if you offer a lame or sick one, is that not wrong? Offer it now to your governor; will he be pleased with you? Will he accept you?—says the LORD of hosts.
Mal.1.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ועתה: CONJ
- חלו: VERB,qal,imp,2,pl
- נא: PART
- פני: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- אל: NEG
- ויחננו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- מידכם: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs,suff:2,mp
- היתה: VERB,qal,perf,3,f,sg
- זאת: DEM,f,sg
- הישא: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg,interr
- מכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- פנים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Isaiah 1:11-15 (thematic): God rejects ritual sacrifices offered by a sinful people—'what to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?'—parallels Malachi's refusal to accept their offerings.
- Amos 5:21-23 (thematic): The prophet reports God's refusal of feasts, songs, and offerings because of covenantal unfaithfulness, echoing Malachi's question about accepting their gifts.
- Psalm 50:8-13 (verbal): Yahweh rhetorically denies needing or accepting sacrifices ('Do I eat the flesh of bulls?... I will not take a bull from your house'), resonating with Malachi's 'Will I accept this from your hand?'
- Hosea 8:13 (allusion): Though people bring sacrifices, God declares he is not pleased and will not accept them—directly comparable to Malachi's rejection of impure offerings.
Alternative generated candidates
- Now plead the face of God that he may be gracious to us; will he accept any of you? — says the LORD of hosts.
- Now entreat the LORD's favor, that he may be gracious to us. Will he accept you? Has this been done by your hand?—says the LORD of hosts.
Mal.1.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- מי: PRON,interr,sg
- גם: ADV
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- ויסגר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- דלתים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ולא: CONJ
- תאירו: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,pl
- מזבחי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,1,sg
- חנם: ADV
- אין: PART,neg
- לי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- חפץ: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ומנחה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- לא: PART_NEG
- ארצה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מידכם: PREP+NOUN+PRON,2,mp
Parallels
- Malachi 1:6-9 (structural): Immediate context: the prophet accuses priests of despising God's name by offering blemished sacrifices; God announces He will reject their offerings and profane the priesthood.
- Leviticus 22:17-25 (verbal): Priestly law forbids offering blind, lame, or otherwise blemished animals and requires unblemished sacrifices—legal background for Malachi's complaint about unacceptable offerings.
- Isaiah 1:11-15 (thematic): Isaiah condemns ritual worship (sacrifices, incense, feasts) offered by a morally corrupt people and declares God does not delight in them—parallels Malachi's rejection of hollow offerings.
- Amos 5:21-24 (thematic): God says He hates and will not accept Israel's festivals and sacrifices; instead He demands justice and righteousness—similar denunciation of empty ritual in Malachi.
- Psalm 50:8-15 (thematic): God proclaims He has no need of sacrifices and calls for thanksgiving and obedience rather than mere ritual—echoes Malachi's emphasis that offerings offered without proper devotion are unacceptable.
Alternative generated candidates
- Who among you would shut the doors so as not to light my altar? I take no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts; and I will not accept an offering from your hand.
- Who among you will shut the doors, that you may not kindle my altar in vain? I take no delight in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will accept no offering from your hand.
Mal.1.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- כי: CONJ
- ממזרח: PREP
- שמש: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ועד: CONJ+PREP
- מבואו: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- גדול: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- שמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- בגוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ובכל: CONJ+PREP
- מקום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מקטר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מגש: VERB,qal,impf,3,pl
- לשמי: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+1,sg
- ומנחה: CONJ+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- טהורה: ADJ,f,sg
- כי: CONJ
- גדול: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- שמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1cs
- בגוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Psalm 72:17 (verbal): Speaks of the ruler’s name enduring 'as long as the sun' and all nations calling him blessed—paralleling Malachi’s 'from rising of the sun to its setting' and the greatness of God’s name among the nations.
- Isaiah 49:6 (thematic): God’s servant is commissioned so that Israel will be a light and God's salvation/reputation reach the nations—echoing Malachi’s theme of God’s name being honored among the Gentiles.
- Isaiah 56:7 (allusion): Declares the house of prayer will be for all peoples and offerings accepted from foreigners, resonating with Malachi’s claim that incense and pure offerings are brought to God 'in every place' among the nations.
- Revelation 8:3-4 (verbal): Describes incense mixed with the prayers of all the saints ascending before God—an NT image that parallels Malachi’s picture of incense and offerings rising to God from every place among the nations.
Alternative generated candidates
- For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations — says the LORD of hosts.
- For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations; in every place incense is offered to my name and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.
Mal.1.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואתם: CONJ+PRON,2,pl
- מחללים: VERB,piel,part,—,m,pl
- אותו: PRON,3,m,sg
- באמרכם: PREP+NOUN,sg,abs,2,m,pl
- שלחן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אדני: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
- מגאל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הוא: PRON,3,m,sg
- וניבו: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- נבזה: VERB,niphal,perf,3,m,sg
- אכלו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Isaiah 1:11-13 (thematic): God rejects empty or despised offerings and rituals; Isaiah condemns vain sacrifices and festivals that are offensive to the LORD, paralleling Malachi’s complaint that the LORD’s table is treated with contempt.
- Amos 5:21-23 (thematic): God expresses hatred for the people’s feasts and songs and refuses their offerings—an analogous denunciation of worship that is unacceptable because of the worshipers’ attitude and behavior.
- Leviticus 22:2, 16 (verbal): Legal warnings against profaning what is holy and offering unworthy or profaned things to the LORD; Malachi’s language about profaning the Lord’s table echoes these cultic prohibitions.
- 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 (allusion): New Testament warning that eating and drinking at the Lord’s table in an unworthy manner brings judgment; conceptually parallels Malachi’s charge that the Lord’s table is being treated contemptuously and improperly.
Alternative generated candidates
- But you profane it when you say, “The LORD’s table is contemptible,” and you despise its food.
- But you profane it when you say, 'The LORD's table is contemptible,' and you call its food worthless—yet you have eaten.
Mal.1.13 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואמרתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- הנה: PART
- מתלאה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- והפחתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- אותו: PRON,3,m,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- והבאתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- גזול: ADJ,m,sg
- ואת: CONJ
- הפסח: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ואת: CONJ
- החולה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- והבאתם: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- המנחה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- הארצה: ADJ,f,sg,def
- אותה: PRON,dem,3,f,sg
- מידכם: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,pl
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Malachi 1:8 (verbal): Same prophet rebukes offering blemished animals (blind, lame) and uses similar rhetorical questioning to condemn unacceptable sacrifices.
- Leviticus 22:20-25 (structural): Priestly law requiring offerings to be unblemished; forbids offering blind, lame, or sick animals—background legal standard that Malachi claims the people violate.
- Isaiah 1:11-15 (thematic): Isaiah likewise rejects the people's sacrifices and festivals as unacceptable, describing God's disgust with ritual offered by a corrupt or indifferent people.
- Amos 5:21-24 (thematic): Amos denounces religious festivities and sacrifices that mask injustice; parallels Malachi's critique of ritual offered contemptuously rather than in true devotion.
Alternative generated candidates
- You say, “Behold, what weariness!” and you sneer — “the table of the LORD is contemptible.” You bring stolen goods, the lame, and the sick; you bring the offering and present it on my altar — shall I accept it from your hand? — says the LORD of hosts.
- You say, 'Behold, what a weariness!' and you sneer at it, says the LORD of hosts. And you bring stolen goods, the lame and the sick—thus you bring them in. Shall I accept that from your hand?—says the LORD.
Mal.1.14 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וארור: CONJ+ADJ,m,sg
- נוכל: VERB,qal,impf,1,pl
- ויש: CONJ+VERB,qal,pres,3,_,sg
- בעדרו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs,prsfx:3,ms
- זכר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ונדר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וזבח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- משחת: VERB,qal,perf,2,m,sg
- לאדני: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,m,poss1s
- כי: CONJ
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- גדול: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- אמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- צבאות: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- ושמי: CONJ+NOUN,m,pl,construct
- נורא: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- בגוים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Leviticus 22:20-25 (verbal): Law forbidding the offering of blemished or defective animals; directly parallels Malachi’s condemnation of presenting a blemished male from the flock as an offering.
- Isaiah 1:11-17 (thematic): God rejects mere ritual sacrifices and calls for ethical cleansing and justice—echoes Malachi’s denunciation of improper offerings and corrupt worship.
- Amos 5:21-24 (thematic): God’s refusal of Israel’s festivals and offerings when justice is absent; thematically parallels the rejection of unacceptable offerings and covenantal unfaithfulness in Malachi.
- Psalm 96:3-4 (thematic): Declares God’s greatness among the nations and that his name is to be feared—parallels Malachi’s assertion 'for I am a great King... and my name is to be feared among the nations.'
Alternative generated candidates
- Cursed be the deceiver who, having in his flock a male, vows it and yet sacrifices a blemished thing to the LORD; for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is to be feared among the nations.
- Cursed is the cheat who has in his flock a male and vows it, and yet sacrifices a blemished thing to the LORD. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is awe-inspiring among the nations.
A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts. You, priests, despise my name, and you ask, “How have we despised your name?”
You offer defiled bread on my altar. Yet you ask, “How have we defiled you?” By saying, “The LORD’s table is contemptible.”
When you offer a blind animal for sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer a lame or sick one, is that not wrong? Offer it now to your governor—will he be pleased with you? Will he show you favor? says the LORD of hosts.
You also say, “Let us entreat the face of God, and he will be gracious to us.” Will he accept you, with such things as these from your hands? says the LORD of hosts.
Who among you would close the doors so that you would not kindle my altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will accept no offering from your hand.
For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. But you profane it when you say that the LORD’s table is contemptible and the food that is set on it is worthless.
You say, “Behold, what a weariness!” and you sniff at it, says the LORD of hosts. And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring an offering. Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD.
Cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male, and vows it, yet sacrifices to the LORD what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is feared among the nations.