Malachi 1:1-5

The LORD's Love for Jacob

1¹ A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi.[1] ² "I have loved you," says the Lord. "But you ask, 'How have you loved us?' "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob, ³ but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals." ⁴ Edom may say, "Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins." But this is what the Lord Almighty says: "They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord. ⁵ You will see it with your own eyes and say, 'Great is the Lord-even beyond the borders of Israel!'

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Other Translations of Malachi 1:1-5

King James Version

The LORD's Love for Jacob

1¹ The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by by...: Heb. by the hand of Malachi. ² I have loved you, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the Lord: yet I loved Jacob, ³ And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage waste for the dragons of the wilderness. ⁴ Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever. ⁵ And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The Lord will be magnified from the border of Israel.

English Standard Version

The LORD's Love for Jacob

1¹ The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.Malachi means my messenger ² "I have loved you," says the Lord. But you say, "How have you loved us?""Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" declares the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob ³ but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert." ⁴ If Edom says, "We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins," the Lord of hosts says, "They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called 'the wicked country,' and 'the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.'" ⁵ Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, "Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!"

The Message

The LORD's Love for Jacob

1¹ A Message. God's Word to Israel through Malachi: ² God said, "I love you." You replied, "Really? How have you loved us?" ³ and hated Esau. I reduced pretentious Esau to a molehill, turned his whole country into a ghost town." ⁴ When Edom (Esau) said, "We've been knocked down, but we'll get up and start over, good as new," God-of-the-Angel-Armies said, "Just try it and see how far you get. When I knock you down, you stay down. People will take one look at you and say, 'Land of Evil!' and 'the God-cursed tribe!' ⁵ "Yes, take a good look. Then you'll see how faithfully I've loved you and you'll want even more, saying, 'May God be even greater, beyond the borders of Israel!'

New King James Version

The LORD's Love for Jacob

1¹ The burden Or oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi. ² "I have loved you," says the Lord. "Yet you say, 'In what way have You loved us?' Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" Says the Lord. "Yet Jacob I have loved; ³ But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness." ⁴ Even though Edom has said, "We have been impoverished, But we will return and build the desolate places," Thus says the Lord of hosts: "They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever. ⁵ Your eyes shall see, And you shall say, 'The Lord is magnified beyond the border of Israel.'

New Living Translation

The LORD's Love for Jacob

1¹ This is the message that the Lord gave to Israel through the prophet Malachi. ² "I have always loved you," says the Lord . But you retort, "Really? How have you loved us?" And the Lord replies, "This is how I showed my love for you: I loved your ancestor Jacob, ³ but I rejected his brother, Esau, and devastated his hill country. I turned Esau's inheritance into a desert for jackals." ⁴ Esau's descendants in Edom may say, "We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins." But the Lord of Heaven's Armies replies, "They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as 'The Land of Wickedness,' and their people will be called 'The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.' ⁵ When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, 'Truly, the Lord 's greatness reaches far beyond Israel's borders!'"

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Malachi 1:1-5

Commentary on Malachi 1:1-5

(Read Malachi 1:1-5)

All advantages, either as to outward circumstances, or spiritual privileges, come from the free love of God, who makes one to differ from another. All the evils sinners feel and fear, are the just recompence of their crimes, while all their hopes and comforts are from the unmerited mercy of the Lord. He chose his people that they might be holy. If we love him, it is because he has first loved us; yet we all are prone to undervalue the mercies of God, and to excuse our own offences.