Malachi 1:12

12 "But you profane it, In that you say, 'The table of the Lord [a] is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.'

Malachi 1:12 Meaning and Commentary

Malachi 1:12

But ye have profaned it
That is, the name of the Lord, which they are said to despise, ( Malachi 1:6 ) and pollute, ( Malachi 1:7 ) and is a reason why they and their offerings were rejected: and that they profaned the name of the Lord appears by this, in that ye say, The table of the Lord [is] polluted:
the same with "contemptible", ( Malachi 1:7 ) as Kimchi observes; (See Gill on Malachi 1:7): and the fruit thereof, [even] his meat is contemptible;
the word for fruit F15 sometimes is used for speech, the fruit of the lips, ( Isaiah 57:19 ) and taken in this sense here, as it is by some, may be understood either of the word of God, which commanded such and such sacrifices to be offered up upon the altar, and was despised, so Abarbinel: or the word of the priests, who were continually saying that what was offered up on the altar was contemptible, even the food which they ate of; so Jarchi and Kimchi. "Fruit" and "meat" seem to signify one and the same thing, and design the fruit and meat of the altar; either that which belonged to the Lord, the fat and the blood, which were offered to him, and were reckoned contemptible; or that which fell to the share of the priests, which they thought mean and worthless. Cocceius interprets this of Christ the Branch of the Lord, and fruit of the earth, ( Isaiah 4:2 ) whose meat it was to do the will of him that sent him, and was despised and rejected by the Jews; and which was the reason of God's casting them off, and taking in the Gentiles.


FOOTNOTES:

F15 (wbyn) "et verbum ejus", Pagninus, Munster; "sermo ejus, [vel] eorum", Vatablus; so Ben Melech.

Malachi 1:12 In-Context

10 "Who is there even among you who would shut the doors, So that you would not kindle fire on My altar in vain? I have no pleasure in you," Says the Lord of hosts, "Nor will I accept an offering from your hands.
11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations," Says the Lord of hosts.
12 "But you profane it, In that you say, 'The table of the Lord is defiled; And its fruit, its food, is contemptible.'
13 You also say, 'Oh, what a weariness!' 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! Should I accept this from your hand?" Says the Lord.
14 "But cursed be the deceiver Who has in his flock a male, And takes a vow, But sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished-- For I am a great King," Says the Lord of hosts, "And My name is to be feared among the nations.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Following Bomberg; Masoretic Text reads Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.