Malachi 1:7

THE MESSAGE

"When you say, ‘The altar of God is not important anymore; worship of God is no longer a priority,' that's defiling. And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you're trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals—isn't that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator—how far do you think it will get you?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies asks you.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“By presenting defiled food on my altar.”

King James Version (1611)
Yee offer polluted bread vpon mine altar; and yee say, Wherein haue we polluted thee? In that yee say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

King James Version
Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

English Standard Version
By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?' By saying that the Lord 's table may be despised.

New American Standard Bible
"You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled You?' In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.'

New Century Version
"You have shown it by bringing unclean food to my altar. "But you ask, ‘What makes it unclean?' "It is unclean because you don't respect the altar of the Lord .

Amplified Bible
"You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled You?' By thinking that the table of the LORD is contemptible and may be despised.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Ye offer vncleane bread vpon mine altar, and you say, Wherein haue we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the Lord is not to be regarded.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled You?' In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.'

Legacy Standard Bible
You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?' In that you say, ‘The table of Yahweh is to be despised.'

Berean Standard Bible
"By presenting defiled food on My altar." You ask, "How have we defiled You?" "By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible."

Contemporary English Version
You embarrass me by offering worthless food on my altar. Then you ask, "How have we embarrassed you?" You have done it by saying, "What's so great about the Lord 's altar?"

Complete Jewish Bible
By offering polluted food on my altar! Now you ask, ‘How are we polluting you?' By saying that the table of Adonai doesn't deserve respect;

Darby Translation
Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is contemptible.

Easy-to-Read Version
"You bring unclean bread to my altar. "But you ask, ‘What makes that bread unclean?' "It is unclean because you show no respect for the altar of the Lord .

George Lamsa Translation
In that you offer polluted bread upon my altar; and if you say, In what have we polluted it? In that you say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

Good News Translation
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.

Lexham English Bible
You are presenting defiled food on my altar! But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?' By saying that the table of Yahweh is despised!

Literal Translation
You are offering defiled food on My altar, and you say, In what have we defiled You? It is in your saying, The table of Jehovah, it is to be despised.

American Standard Version
Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of Jehovah is contemptible.

Bible in Basic English
You put unclean bread on my altar. And you say, How have we made it unclean? By your saying, The table of the Lord is of no value.

Hebrew Names Version
You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, 'How have we polluted you?' In that you say, 'The LORD's table contemptible.'

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Ye offer polluted bread upon Mine altar. And ye say: 'Wherein have we polluted thee?' In that ye say: 'The table of the LORD is contemptible.'

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Ye offer vpon myne aulter vncleane bread, and say, Wherein haue we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lorde is not to be regarded.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
In that ye bring to mine altar polluted bread; and ye said, Wherein have ye polluted it? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is polluted, and that which was set thereon ye have despised.

English Revised Version
Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar. And ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

World English Bible
You offer polluted bread on my altar. You say, 'How have we polluted you?' In that you say, 'Yahweh's table contemptible.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Ye offren on myn auter vncleene breed, and ye seien, Wherynne han we defoulid thee? In that thing that ye seien, The boord of the Lord is dispisid.

Update Bible Version
You offer polluted bread on my altar. And you say, Wherein have we polluted you? In that you say, The table of Yahweh is contemptible.

Webster's Bible Translation
Ye offer polluted bread upon my altar? and ye say, In what have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD [is] contemptible.

New English Translation
You are offering improper sacrifices on my altar, yet you ask, ‘How have we offended you?' By treating the table of the Lord as if it is of no importance!

New King James Version
"You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, "In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, "The table of the LORD is contemptible.'

New Living Translation
"You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. "Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?' "You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect.

New Life Bible
You are bringing unclean food to My altar. But you say, ‘How have we made Your altar unclean?' "Because you say the Lord's table is to be hated.

New Revised Standard
By offering polluted food on my altar. And you say, "How have we polluted it?" By thinking that the Lord 's table may be despised.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
In bringing near upon mine altar, polluted food, while yet ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? Because ye say, As for the table of Yahweh, a thing to be despised, it is;

Douay-Rheims Bible
To you, O priests, that despise my name, and have said: Wherein have we despised thy name? You offer polluted bread upon my altar, and you say: Wherein have we polluted thee? In that you say: The table of the Lord is contemptible.

Revised Standard Version
By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, 'How have we polluted it?' By thinking that the LORD's table may be despised.

Young's Literal Translation
Ye are bringing nigh on Mine altar polluted bread, And ye have said: `In what have we polluted Thee?' In your saying: `The table of Jehovah -- it [is] despicable,'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
In this, that ye offre vnclene bred vpo myne aulter. And yf ye wil saye: wherin haue we offred eny vnclene thynge vnto the? In this that ye saye: the aulter of the LORDE is not to be regarded.

Contextual Overview

⁶ "Isn't it true that a son honors his father and a worker his master? So if I'm your Father, where's the honor? If I'm your Master, where's the respect?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet: "You priests despise me! "You say, ‘Not so! How do we despise you?' "By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship. "You ask, ‘What do you mean, "defiling"? What's defiling about it?' ⁷"When you say, ‘The altar of God is not important anymore; worship of God is no longer a priority,' that's defiling. And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you're trying to get rid of—blind and sick and crippled animals—isn't that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator—how far do you think it will get you?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. ⁹ "Get on your knees and pray that I will be gracious to you. You priests have gotten everyone in trouble. With this kind of conduct, do you think I'll pay attention to you?" God -of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. ¹⁰ "Why doesn't one of you just shut the Temple doors and lock them? Then none of you can get in and play at religion with this silly, empty-headed worship. I am not pleased. The God -of-the-Angel-Armies is not pleased. And I don't want any more of this so-called worship! ¹¹ "I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They're saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this God -of-the-Angel-Armies.' ¹²"All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,' and when you say, ‘I'm bored—this doesn't do anything for me.' You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God -of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it's a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I'm going to accept it? This is God speaking to you! ¹⁴ "A curse on the person who makes a big show of doing something great for me—an expensive sacrifice, say—and then at the last minute brings in something puny and worthless! I'm a great king, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, honored far and wide, and I'll not put up with it!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Ye offer: etc. or, Bring unto my, etc

polluted: Leviticus 2:11, Leviticus 21:6, Deuteronomy 15:21

The table: Malachi 1:12, 1 Samuel 2:15-17, Ezekiel 41:22, 1 Corinthians 10:21, 1 Corinthians 11:21, 1 Corinthians 11:22, 1 Corinthians 11:27-32

Reciprocal: Exodus 12:5 - be without Exodus 25:30 - General Leviticus 3:11 - the food Leviticus 22:25 - the bread Numbers 18:32 - pollute Numbers 28:2 - my bread 2 Samuel 12:10 - because Jeremiah 34:16 - polluted Ezekiel 23:41 - a table Ezekiel 40:39 - tables on that Ezekiel 44:7 - when Ezekiel 44:16 - to my table Malachi 1:2 - Wherein Malachi 1:13 - torn Malachi 2:14 - Wherefore Malachi 2:17 - Wherein Matthew 26:8 - To

Cross-References

Genesis 1:9
God spoke: "Separate! Water-beneath-Heaven, gather into one place; Land, appear!" And there it was. God named the land Earth. He named the pooled water Ocean. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:11
God spoke: "Earth, green up! Grow all varieties of seed-bearing plants, Every sort of fruit-bearing tree." And there it was. Earth produced green seed-bearing plants, all varieties, And fruit-bearing trees of all sorts. God saw that it was good. It was evening, it was morning— Day Three.

Genesis 1:24
God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds." And there it was: wild animals of every kind, Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:29
Then God said, "I've given you every sort of seed-bearing plant on Earth And every kind of fruit-bearing tree, given them to you for food. To all animals and all birds, everything that moves and breathes, I give whatever grows out of the ground for food." And there it was.

Ecclesiastes 11:3
When the clouds are full of water, it rains. When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls. Don't sit there watching the wind. Do your own work. Don't stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.

Matthew 8:27
The men rubbed their eyes, astonished. "What's going on here? Wind and sea come to heel at his command!"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar,.... Which some understand of the shewbread, mention being afterwards made of a "table", as Jerom; who observes that it was made of wheat, which the priests themselves sowed, reaped, ground, and baked, and so could take what they would out of it: as for their sowing it, it does not seem likely that they should be employed in such service, whatever may be said for their reaping; since the sheaf of the first fruits was reaped by persons deputed from the sanhedrim w; though of the reaping of that for the shewbread, I find no mention made; but as for grinding, sifting, kneading, and making it into loaves, and baking it, and taking it out of the oven, and putting it upon the table of shewbread, all this was the work of the priests x; and those of the house of Garmu y were appointed over that work: now, this bread might be said to be polluted, when they set upon the table such as was not made of fine wheat flour, and had not pure frankincense put upon or by each row, as the law required, Leviticus 24:5 nor is it any material objection to this sense, that it is an altar, and not a table, on which this bread was offered; since, as the altar is called a table, Ezekiel 41:22, as this is in a following clause, the table may be called an altar; though it may be observed, that the shewbread is never said to be offered, but to be set, or put upon the table: indeed the burning of the frankincense set by it is called an offering made by fire unto the Lord, Leviticus 24:7 wherefore others interpret this of the daily meat offering, which went along with the daily sacrifice of the lambs, and part of which was burnt on the altar, Exodus 29:40 or rather this designs sacrifice in general, sometimes called "bread", Leviticus 3:11 and so the Targum here,

"ye offer upon my altar an abominable offering;''

such as had blemishes in them, were blind or lame, as after mentioned; and had not the requisites of a sacrifice in them; or were offered not in a right manner, or by bad men, and with a wicked mind:

and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? thy bread offering or altar; as if their offerings were pure, and they themselves, and their consciences pure from sin. The answer is,

In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible; either the shewbread table, which yet was covered with gold, and all the vessels of it made of gold; or the altar, as in Ezekiel 41:22 their actions spoke so loud, and declared that the table or altar of the Lord was a contemptible thing, since they cared not what was offered upon it: or the reason why it was had in contempt, as some think, was because there was not that holiness in the second temple as in the first: or, as Abarbinel and Kimchi say, because of the fat and the blood which were offered on the altar, which they esteemed contemptible things; not observing the end for which the Lord commanded them to be offered.

w Misn. Menachot, c. 10. sect. 3. x Maimon. Hilchot Tamidin, c. 5. sect. 6. y Misn. Shekalim, c. 5. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Offering polluted bread upon Mine altar - This, continuing on the words, “despisers of My Name,” , is the answer to their question, “Wherein have we despised Thy Name?” “Bread” might stand, in itself, either for the showbread, or for the מנחה minchāh, meal-offering, which was the necessary accompaniment of sacrifices and sometimes the whole.

But here the “polluted bread” cannot be the showbread, since this was not put upon the altar, but upon its own table; and although the altar is, as here, also called “a table” , in regard to the sacrifice hereon consumed, “the table” of the showbread is nowhere called “altar.” The prophet then means by “bread,” either the meal-offering, as representing the sacrifice, or the offerings by fire altogether, as in Ezekiel Ezekiel 44:7, “When ye offer My bread, the fat and the blood;” and in Leviticus “the offerings of the Lord, made by fire, the bread of their God, do they offer;” and of the “peace-offering Leviticus 3:11, the priest shall burn it upon the altar; the bread of the offering made by fire unto the Lord:” and specifically, of animals with blemish, as these, it is forbidden Leviticus 22:25, “Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these, because their corruption is in them, blemishes in them: they shall not be accepted for you.” It was, as it were, a feast of God with man, and what was withdrawn from the use of man by fire, was, as it were, consumed by God, to whom it was offered.

It was “polluted,” in that it was contrary to the law of God which forbade to sacrifice any animal, “lame or blind” or with “any ill blemish,” as being inconsistent with the typical perfection of the sacrifice. Even the Gentiles were careful about the perfection of their sacrifices.

“Blind is the sacrifice of the soul, which is not illumined by the light of Christ. Lame is his sacrifice of prayer, who comes with a double mind to entreat the Lord.” “He offereth one weak, whose heart is not established in the grace of God, nor by the anchor of hope fixed in Christ. These words are also uttered against those who, being rich, offer to the Creator the cheaper and least things, and give small alms.”

“And ye say, Wherewith have we polluted Thee?” It is a bold expression. Yet a word, to which we are but too ill-accustomed, which expresses what most have done, “dishonor God,” comes to the same. Though less bold in expression, they are yet like in meaning Ezekiel 13:19. “Will ye pollute Me anymore among My people?” or Ezekiel 20:9, Ezekiel 20:14, Ezekiel 20:22, “that My Name should not be polluted before the pagan Ezekiel 43:7. My holy Name shall Israel no more defile Ezekiel 39:7, “I will not let them pollute My Name anymore.” “Much more in the new law, in which the Sacrifice is Christ Himself our God, whence the Apostle says expressly 1 Corinthians 11:27, “Whoso eateth this bread and drinketh this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” “For when the sacraments are violated, Himself, whose sacraments they are, is violated.” God speaks of our acts with an unveiled plainness, which we should not dare to use. “As we are said to sanctify God, when we minister to Him in holiness and righteousness, and so, as far as in us lies, show that He is holy; so we are said to pollute Him, when we conduct ourselves irreverently and viciously before Him, especially in His worship, and thereby, as far as in us lies, show that He is not holy and is to be dishonored.”

“In that ye say, the table of the Lord is contemptible,” literally “contemptible is it,” , and so any contemptible thing might be offered on it. They said this probably, not in words, but in deeds. Or, if in words, in plausible words. “God doth not require the ornamenting of the altar, but the devotion of the offerers.” “What good is it, if we offer the best? Be what we offer, what it may, it is all to be consumed by fire.” “The pretext at once of avarice and gluttony!” And so they kept the best for themselves. They were poor, on their return from the captivity. Anyhow, the sacrifices were offered. What could it matter to God? And so they dispensed with God’s law.

“So at this day we see some priests and prelates, splendid in their tables and feasts, sordid in the altar and temple; on the table are costly napkins and wine; on the altar torn linen and wine-mace rather than wine.” “We pollute the bread, that is, the Body of Christ, when we approach the altar unworthily, and, being defiled, drink that pure Blood, and say, ‘The table of the Lord is contemptible;’ not that anyone dareth to say this, but the deeds of sinners pour contempt on the table of God.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Malachi 1:7. Ye offer polluted bread — The priests, probably to ingratiate themselves with the people, took the refuse beasts, c., and offered them to God and thus the sacrificial ordinances were rendered contemptible.