Malachi 1

Moving right along. I noted a post in which I posted the wrong chapter! (Now fixed in case you noticed).

Lots of issues here with the choice of Yahweh - to love Jacob and to hate Esau. Note how the two are adjacent but in separate verses. That's important I expect. The silluq is reached prematurely on Jacob and God rests in his hate of Esau, suggesting that the reverse is in fact true, that God loves Esau and is impatient with Jacob.

There is a certain amount of irony in this chapter and notes about the deceptive practices of Jacob. Who's looking at this exasperation that we call religion? Why should anyone offer anything, let alone the choicest animal as gift to the invisible One? Edom (Esau) is happy to rebuild but Jacob (Israel) is happy to cheat. Who would you rather be, the frustrated rebuilder or the deceiver?

It is important to recall that Israel is chosen as example, one who represents us all whether we be of Cain or Abel, of Isaac or Ishmael, of Jacob or Esau. The focus of this chapter is that the Name of Yahweh should be great and is to be feared among the nations. Israel has a task. How will it be fulfilled?

I have two glosses so far for נגשׁ make overture or bring close. There are several words that are used for bringing an offering and I try to keep them safely separated. I am not so safe here, but perhaps there is suitable irony.

Tell me if I blunder whether lightly or excessively.

Malachi 1		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
מַשָּׂ֥א דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בְּיַ֖ד מַלְאָכִֽי	1		A load of the matter of Yahweh, to Israel, by the hand of Malachi.	3e	4A	10 5
אָהַ֤בְתִּי אֶתְכֶם֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמָּ֣ה אֲהַבְתָּ֑נוּ הֲלוֹא־אָ֨ח עֵשָׂ֤ו לְיַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וָאֹהַ֖ב אֶֽת־יַעֲקֹֽב	2		I have loved you, says Yahweh, and you say, In what way have you loved us? Was not Esau brother to Jacob? An oracle of Yahweh. Yet I loved Jacob.	3e	4C	19 20
וְאֶת־עֵשָׂ֖ו שָׂנֵ֑אתִי וָאָשִׂ֤ים אֶת־הָרָיו֙ שְׁמָמָ֔ה וְאֶת־נַחֲלָת֖וֹ לְתַנּ֥וֹת מִדְבָּֽר	3		And Esau I hated, and I rendered his hills desolate and his inheritance to the dragons of the wilderness.	3e	4C	7 20
כִּֽי־תֹאמַ֨ר אֱד֜וֹם רֻשַּׁ֗שְׁנוּ וְנָשׁוּב֙ וְנִבְנֶ֣ה חֳרָב֔וֹת כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הֵ֥מָּה יִבְנ֖וּ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶהֱר֑וֹס וְקָרְא֤וּ לָהֶם֙ גְּב֣וּל רִשְׁעָ֔ה וְהָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־זָעַ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה עַד־עוֹלָֽם	4		For Edom said, We are razed but we will return and build up the desert. Thus says Yahweh of hosts, they themselves will build but I myself will overthrow, and they will call them the border of wickedness and the people against whom Yahweh has indignation for evermore.	3d	4C	34 21
וְעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם תִּרְאֶ֑ינָה וְאַתֶּ֤ם תֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ יִגְדַּ֣ל יְהוָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל לִגְב֥וּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	5		And your eyes will see, and you yourselves will say, Be magnified Yahweh from above the border of Israel.	3e	4C	7 16
בֵּ֛ן יְכַבֵּ֥ד אָ֖ב וְעֶ֣בֶד אֲדֹנָ֑יו וְאִם־אָ֣ב אָ֣נִי אַיֵּ֣ה כְבוֹדִ֡י וְאִם־אֲדוֹנִ֣ים אָנִי֩ אַיֵּ֨ה מוֹרָאִ֜י אָמַ֣ר ׀ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת לָכֶם֙ הַכֹּֽהֲנִים֙ בּוֹזֵ֣י שְׁמִ֔י וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם בַּמֶּ֥ה בָזִ֖ינוּ אֶת־שְׁמֶֽךָ	6	d	A child glorifies a father and a servant his master. So if I am a father, where is my glory and if I am your master, where is my fear? says Yahweh of hosts to you the priests who despise my name and you say in what way did we despise your name?	3d	4B	11 52
מַגִּישִׁ֤ים עַֽל־מִזְבְּחִי֙ לֶ֣חֶם מְגֹאָ֔ל וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֣ה גֵֽאַלְנ֑וּךָ בֶּאֱמָרְכֶ֕ם שֻׁלְחַ֥ן יְהוָ֖ה נִבְזֶ֥ה הֽוּא	7		In making overture to my altar with sullied bread and you say, In what way did we sully you? In your saying, The table of Yahweh himself is despicable.	3e	4C	22 11
וְכִֽי־תַגִּשׁ֨וּן עִוֵּ֤ר לִזְבֹּ֙חַ֙ אֵ֣ין רָ֔ע וְכִ֥י תַגִּ֛ישׁוּ פִּסֵּ֥חַ וְחֹלֶ֖ה אֵ֣ין רָ֑ע הַקְרִיבֵ֨הוּ נָ֜א לְפֶחָתֶ֗ךָ הֲיִּרְצְךָ֙‬ א֚וֹ הֲיִשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֔יךָ אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת	8		But when you make overture to offer one that is blind, there is no evil, or when you make overture with one that is lame or ill, there is no evil. Do you bring near such, pray tell, to your viceroy? Will he accept or bear your presence? says Yahweh of hosts.	3d	4C	24 28
וְעַתָּ֛ה חַלּוּ־נָ֥א פְנֵי־אֵ֖ל וִֽיחָנֵ֑נוּ‬ מִיֶּדְכֶם֙ הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֔את הֲיִשָּׂ֤א מִכֶּם֙ פָּנִ֔ים אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת	9		So now entreat please the presence of the One that he will be gracious to us. This is from your hand. Will he bear your presence? says Yahweh of hosts.	3d	4C	12 20
מִ֤י גַם־בָּכֶם֙ וְיִסְגֹּ֣ר דְּלָתַ֔יִם וְלֹֽא־תָאִ֥ירוּ מִזְבְּחִ֖י חִנָּ֑ם אֵֽין־לִ֨י חֵ֜פֶץ בָּכֶ֗ם אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּמִנְחָ֖ה לֹֽא־אֶרְצֶ֥ה מִיֶּדְכֶֽם	10	C	Who even among you latches portals and does not light my altar for nothing? There is no delight for me among you, says Yahweh of hosts and I will not accept a gift from your hand.	3e	4C	19 22
כִּ֣י מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֜מֶשׁ וְעַד־מְבוֹא֗וֹ גָּד֤וֹל שְׁמִי֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם וּבְכָל־מָק֗וֹם מֻקְטָ֥ר מֻגָּ֛שׁ לִשְׁמִ֖י וּמִנְחָ֣ה טְהוֹרָ֑ה כִּֽי־גָד֤וֹל שְׁמִי֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת	11	B	For from the rising of the sun and to his cue to set, my name is great among the nations and in every place incense will be brought close to my name and a clean gift, for my name is great among the nations, says Yahweh of hosts.	3d	4C	34 14
וְאַתֶּ֖ם מְחַלְּלִ֣ים אוֹת֑וֹ בֶּאֱמָרְכֶ֗ם שֻׁלְחַ֤ן אֲדֹנָי֙ מְגֹאָ֣ל ה֔וּא וְנִיב֖וֹ נִבְזֶ֥ה אָכְלֽוֹ	12		But it is you who profane it, in your saying, The table of the lord is itself sullied and its profit, its food is despicable.	3e	4C	8 20
וַאֲמַרְתֶּם֩ הִנֵּ֨ה מַתְּלָאָ֜ה וְהִפַּחְתֶּ֣ם אוֹת֗וֹ אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וַהֲבֵאתֶ֣ם גָּז֗וּל וְאֶת־הַפִּסֵּ֙חַ֙ וְאֶת־הַ֣חוֹלֶ֔ה וַהֲבֵאתֶ֖ם אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֑ה הַאֶרְצֶ֥ה אוֹתָ֛הּ מִיֶּדְכֶ֖ם אָמַ֥ר יְהוָֽה ס	13		And you say, behold, exasperation, and you are petulant with him, says Yahweh of hosts, and you come with what was robbed and the lame and the ill and you come with the gift, should I accept that thing from your hand? says Yahweh. S	3d	4B	47 13
וְאָר֣וּר נוֹכֵ֗ל וְיֵ֤שׁ בְּעֶדְרוֹ֙ זָכָ֔ר וְנֹדֵ֛ר וְזֹבֵ֥חַ מָשְׁחָ֖ת לַֽאדֹנָ֑י כִּי֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ גָּד֜וֹל אָ֗נִי אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּשְׁמִ֖י נוֹרָ֥א בַגּוֹיִֽם	14		So cursed is the cunning where there is in his troop a male and he vows and offers from destruction to the Lord, for I am a great king, says Yahweh of hosts, and my name is to be feared among the nations.	3d	4C	24 21