1 This is the message that the Lord gave Malachi to tell the people of Israel.
2 The Lord says to his people, “I have always loved you.”But they reply, “How have you shown your love for us?”The Lord answers, “Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants,
3 and have hated Esau and his descendants. I have devastated Esau's hill country and abandoned the land to jackals.”
4 If Esau's descendants, the Edomites, say, “Our towns have been destroyed, but we will rebuild them,” then the Lord will reply, “Let them rebuild — I will tear them down again. People will call them ‘The evil country’ and ‘The nation with whom the Lord is angry for ever.’ ”
5 The people of Israel are going to see this with their own eyes, and they will say, “The Lord is mighty even outside the land of Israel!”
6 The Lord Almighty says to the priests, “A son honours his father, and a servant honours his master. I am your father — why don't you honour me? I am your master — why don't you respect me? You despise me, and yet you ask, ‘How have we despised you?’
7 This is how — by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, ‘How have we failed to respect you?’ I will tell you — by showing contempt for my altar.