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The burden of the word of Jehovah to▵ Israel by the hand of Malachi.
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I have loved you, says ◦ Jehovah . And you say , In what way hast Thou loved us ? Was not Esau the brother of Jacob ? says Jehovah ; and I loved Jacob ,
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but I hated Esau , and made▫ his mountains and his heritage a desolation for the dragons of the wilderness .
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For Edom says , We are impoverished, but we will return and build the wastes. Thus says Jehovah of Armies : They◦ shall build , but I◦ will break··down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom Jehovah has··indignation, even··to eternity .
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And your eyes shall see , and you◦ shall say , Jehovah will be magnified from the border of Israel .
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A son gives··glory to his father , and a servant to his lord ; and if I◦ be a father , where◦ is My glory, and if I◦ be a lord , where◦ is My fear? says Jehovah of Armies to you, the priests who despise My name . And you say , In what have we despised Thy name ?
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You present polluted bread upon My altar ; and you say , In what have we polluted Thee? In that you say , The table of Jehovah , it◦ is despised .
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And when◦ you present the blind for a sacrifice, is it not◦ evil ? And when◦ you present the lame and sick , is it not◦ evil ? Offer it now◦ to thy governor ; will he be well··pleased with thee, or accept thy faces*? says Jehovah of Armies .
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And now, I pray◦ you, implore the faces of God◦ that He may be··gracious to us ; while this is from your hand , will He accept* the faces from you? says Jehovah of Armies .
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Who also is among◦ you who would rather* shut the doors , and not light My altar without··cause? I have◦ no delight in you, says Jehovah of Armies , neither will I be··well··pleased with a gift··offering from your hand .
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For from the rising ◦ of the sun and until its going ··in, My name shall be great among◦ the nations ; and in every place burning··incense shall be presented to My name , and a clean gift··offering ; for My name shall be great among◦ the nations , says Jehovah of Armies .
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But you◦ have profaned it when you say , The table of Jehovah , it◦ is polluted, His bounty is contemptible, even His food.
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And you said , Behold, what weariness ! And you have snuffed at it, says Jehovah of Armies ; and you brought that which was taken··by··robbery, and the lame , and the sick ; and you brought these as a gift··offering . Should I be··well··pleased with this from your hand ? says Jehovah .
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But cursed be he who defrauds, and there is◦ in his drove a male, and he vows , and sacrifices to the Lord what is corrupt; for a great King am I◦, says Jehovah of Armies , and My name is fearful among◦ the nations .