1 This message is the word of the Lord. It is given to Israel through Malachi.
2 The Lord said, “I love you.”But you ask, “How have you loved us?”The Lord said, “Esau and Jacob were brothers. I loved Jacob,
3 but I hated Esau. I destroyed his mountain country. I left his land to the wild dogs of the desert.”
4 The people of Edom might say, “We were destroyed. But we will go back and rebuild the ruins.”But the Lord of heaven’s armies says, “If they rebuild them, I will destroy them. People will say, ‘Edom is the Wicked Country. The Lord is always angry with the Edomites.’
5 You will see these things with your own eyes. You will say, ‘The Lord is great, even outside the borders of Israel!’”
6 The Lord of heaven’s armies says, “A son honors his father. A servant honors his master. I am a father. So why don’t you honor me? I am a master. So why don’t you respect me? You priests do not respect me.“But you ask, ‘How have we shown you disrespect?’