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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.
