Bible Commentaries

This chapter begins with showing the great and free favor which God had manifested to the Israelites, above what he had done to the Edomites, who are threatened with farther marks of the Divine displeasure; alluding, perhaps, to the calamities which they suffered from Judas Maccabeus and John Hyrcanus, (see 1 Maccabees 5:65, and Joseph Antiq. 13:9), Malachi 1:1-5. God then reproaches his people, and especially their priests, for their ungrateful returns to his distinguished goodness, Malachi 1:6. They are particularly charged with sacrificing the refuse of beasts, Malachi 1:7-9, for which God threatens to reject them, Malachi 1:10, and choose other nations who will show more reverence to his name and worship, Malachi 1:11-14.

The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi - This prophet is undoubtedly the last of the Jewish prophets. He lived after Zechariah and Haggai; for we find that the temple, which was begun in their time, was standing complete in his. See Malachi 3:10. Some have thought that he was contemporary with Nehemiah; indeed, several have supposed that Malachi, is no other than Ezra under the feigned name of angel of the Lord, or my angel. John the Baptist was the link that connected Malachi with Christ. According to Abp. Usher he flourished b.c. 416, but the authorized version, which we have followed in the margin, states this event to have happened nineteen years later. Both the Hebrew language and poetry had declined in his days.

Israel - Here means the Jewish people in general.

Was not Esau Jacob's brother? - Have I not shown a greater partiality to the Israelites than I have to the Edomites?

I loved Jacob - My love to Jacob has been proved by giving him greater privileges and a better inheritance than what I have given to Esau.

And I hated Esau - I have shown him less love; Genesis 29:30, Genesis 29:31. I comparatively hated him by giving him an inferior lot. And now, I have not only laid waste the dwelling-place of the Edomites, by the incursions of their enemies; but (Malachi 1:4) they shall remain the perpetual monuments of my vengeance. On the subject of loving Jacob and hating Esau, see the notes on Genesis 27 (note), and Romans 9:13 (note). Let it be remembered,

1. That there is not a word spoken here concerning the eternal state of either Jacob or Esau.

2. That what is spoken concerns merely their earthly possessions. And,

3. That it does not concern the two brothers at all, but the posterity of each.

They shall build, but I will throw down - We have already seen enough of the wickedness of the Edomites to justify the utmost severity of Divine justice against them. The pulling down predicted here was by Judas Maccabeus; see 1 Maccabees 5:65; and by John Hyrcanus; see Joseph Antiq., lib. 13 c. 9. s. 1.

They shall call them, The border of wickedness - A wicked land. Among this people scarcely any trace of good could ever be noted.

Your eyes - Ye Israelites shall see, in your succeeding generations, that: -

The Lord will be magnified - By his kindness in Israel, and his judgments beyond.

A son honoreth his father - I am your Father - where, then, is my honor? Where your filial obedience?

If I be a master, where is my fear? - The respect due to me.

Ye offer polluted bread - The priests, probably to ingratiate themselves with the people, took the refuse beasts, etc., and offered them to God; and thus the sacrificial ordinances were rendered contemptible.