Malachi 1
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Chapter 1
Chapter Overview:
The prophet reproves the Jews for their ingratitude to God, ver. 1 - 5.
For their neglect of his institutions, ver. 6 - 14.
Verses:
| 1:2 | Loved you - Both personally considered and relatively, in progenitors. Us - Who have been captives, and groaned under it all our days 'till of late. Was not Esau - Did not one father beget them, and one mother bear them? I loved Jacob - I preferred him to the birthright, and this of free love. I loved his person, and his posterity. |
| 1:3 | I hated - I loved not Esau's posterity as I loved Jacob's.His heritage - Mount Seir with the neighbouring mountains.Waste - By Nebuchadnezzar's arms five years after the sacking of Jerusalem, and whereas Jacob's captivity returned, and their cities were rebuilt, Esau's never were. The dragons - Creatures which delight in desolate places, by which the utter desolation of Esau is signified. |
| 1:4 | Throw down - So he did in the times of the Maccabees.The border of wickedness - They will be a most wicked people, and so notorious, that all their neighbours shall brand them for it.Hath indignation - They will so highly provoke God, that his indignation will be kindled against them for ever. |
| 1:5 | From the border of Israel - Let Israel from all his borders give God praise. |
| 1:6 | O priests - Had undutifulness been found among the ignorant people, it might have been a little excusable. But you, O priests, whose business is to know me, have like Eli's sons despised me yourselves, and made others do so too. |
| 1:7 | Bread - Either the meal - offerings, or rather in a more large sense, all sacrifices and oblations. Ye say - Perhaps in words; at least your deeds speak your thoughts. The table - This comprehends all that was offered to God. |
| 1:8 | Evil - Is it not against the express command of God. |
| 1:9 | I pray you - O priests. Beseech - Intercede with God for his sinful people. This - This contempt of God. |
| 1:11 | Incense - A law term for a gospel duty, and under this type are contained the prayers and praises, nay, the whole gospel - worship.A pure offering - Both sincere, in opposition to hypocrisy, and holy, in opposition to impurity, superstition and idolatry. |
| 1:12 | But ye - O priests! And the people by your examples.Ye say - By your deportment. Is polluted - Not a sacred thing.His meat - Either the meat which fell to the priest's share, or the portion which was laid upon the altar. |
| 1:13 | What a weariness - What a toil and drudgery to observe every point of the law. This - With such minds snuffing at my service, and with such sacrifices, unfit for mine altar. |
| 1:14 | The deceiver - The hypocrite that would seem to offer a sacrifice of the best, but puts God off with the worst. A male - A perfect male, such as God requireth. |