Is it not evil?
And when you offer the lame and sick,
Is it not evil?
Offer it then to your governor!
Would he be pleased with you?
Would he baccept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.
That He may be gracious to us.
aWhile this is being done by your hands,
Will He accept you favorably?”
Says the Lord of hosts.
aSo that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain?
I have no pleasure in you,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
b“Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
My name shall be great bamong the Gentiles;
cIn every place dincense shall be offered to My name,
And a pure offering;
eFor My name shall be great among the nations,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
In that you say,
a‘The table of the1 Lord is defiled;
And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.’
‘Oh, what a aweariness!’
And you sneer at it,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“And you bring the stolen, the lame, and the sick;
Thus you bring an offering!
bShould I accept this from your hand?”
Says the Lord.
Who has in his flock a male,
And takes a vow,
But sacrifices to the Lord bwhat is blemished—
For cI am a great King,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“And My name is to be feared among the nations.
| << Malachi 1:9 | Malachi 1:11 >> |
Malachi 1:10
Who is there even among you? - This stinginess in God' s service was not confined to those offices which cost something, as the sacrifices. Not even services absolutely costless, which required only a little trouble, as that of closing the folding-doors of the temple or the outer court, or bringing the fire to consume the sacrifices, would they do without some special hire. All was mercenary and hireling service. Others have rendered it as a wish, "who is there among you!" i. e., would that there were one among you, who would close the doors altogether; so shall ye not kindle fire on Mine altar for nought, i. e., fruitlessly! But apart from the difficulty of the construction, it is not God' s way to "quench the smouldering flax." He who bids, "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost," accepts any imperfect service rather than none. He does not break off the last link, which binds man to Himself. Then, if or when God willed His service to surcease, He would do it Himself, as He did by the destruction of the temple before the captivity, or finally by the Romans. It would have been an ungodly act (such as was only done by Ahaz, perhaps the most ungodly king of Israel) II Chronicles 28:24, and one which especially called down His wrath II Chronicles 29:8, to close the doors, and therewith to break off all sacrifice. Manasseh carried the worship of false gods into the temple itself; Ahaz, as far as in him lay, abolished the service of God. A prophet of God could not express a wish, that pious Israelites (for it is presupposed that they would do this out of zeal for God' s honor) should bring the service of God to an end.
He sums up with an entire rejection of them, present and future. "I have no pleasure in you;" it is a term of repudiation , sometimes of disgust "neither will I accept an offering at your hands." He says not simply Jeremiah 6:20, "your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto Me, but, I will not accept it." Such as they were, such they would be hereafter. God would not accept their sacrifices, but would replace them.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing Malachi 1:10:
1 Samuel 2:17
Malachi 1:11
Malachi 1:11
| << Malachi 1:9 | Malachi 1:11 >> |
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