Berean Standard Bible
Malachi 1:4
4Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever.
Malachi 1:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the Lord of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the Lord hath indignation for ever.
- New International Version (NIV)Edom may say, “Though we have been crushed, we will rebuild the ruins.” But this is what the Lord Almighty says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Wicked Land, a people always under the wrath of the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)If Edom says, "We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins," the Lord of hosts says, "They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called 'the wicked country,' and 'the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we will return and build the desolate places,” Thus says the Lord of hosts: “They may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness, And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
Context of Malachi 1:4
2“I have loved you,” says the LORD. But you ask, “How have You loved us?” “Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the LORD. “Yet Jacob I have loved, 3but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.” Though Edom may say, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild the ruins,” this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called the Land of Wickedness, and a people with whom the LORD is indignant forever. 5You will see this with your own eyes, and you yourselves will say, ‘The LORD is great—even beyond the borders of Israel.’” 6“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’
Read all of Malachi 1Malachi 1:4 word by word
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׃Read the interlinear
- Thoughכִּיkîy · forH3588
- Edomאֱדוֹם'ĕdôm 'ĕdôm · EdomH123
- may sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- We have been devastatedרָשַׁשׁrâshash · to beatH7567
- but we will rebuildשׁוּבshûb · to return: rescueH7725
- but we will rebuildבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- the ruinsחׇרְבָּהchorbâh · desolationH2723
- this is whatכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
- the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of Hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- Theyהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
- but Iאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
- will demolishהָרַסhâras · to overthrowH2040
- They will be calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
- the Landגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
- of Wickednessרִשְׁעָהrish‛âh · wickednessH7564
- and a peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- with whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- is indignantזָעַםzâ‛am · be indignantH2194
- foreverעַד‛ad · tillH5704
- foreverעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
Cross-references for Malachi 1:4
- Isaiah 9:9All the people will know it— Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say:
- James 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”
- Job 9:4God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered?
- Job 12:14What He tears down cannot be rebuilt; the man He imprisons cannot be released.
- Job 34:29But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
- Psalms 127:1Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain; unless the LORD protects the city, its watchmen stand guard in vain.
- Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Isaiah 10:4Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.
- Lamentations 3:37Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has ordained it?
- Matthew 12:30He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.
- Jeremiah 31:17So there is hope for your future, declares the LORD, and your children will return to their own land.
- Ezekiel 11:10You will fall by the sword, and I will judge you even to the borders of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
- Amos 6:2Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?
- Malachi 1:3but Esau I have hated, and I have made his mountains a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
- Psalms 137:7Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom on the day Jerusalem fell: “Destroy it,” they said, “tear it down to its foundations!”
- Isaiah 11:14They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines to the west; together they will plunder the sons of the east. They will lay their hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them.
Commentaries on Malachi 1:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4They 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Whereas Edom saith - oWe are impoverished - oידשׁשׁ .), or, more probably, “we were crushed.” Either gives an adequate sense. Human self-confidence will admit anything, as to the past; nay, will even exaggerate past evil to itself, “Crush us how they may, we will arise and repair our losses.” So Ephraim said of old Isaiah 9:9-10, “in the pride and stoutness of heart, The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn-stones: the sycamores are cut…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4the LORD of Hosts (Hebrew Yahweh tseba’oth): This name for God is important in Old Testament prophetic writings. Hosts are the angelic forces under God's command. This phrase emphasizes God's power, which cannot be defeated. the Land of Wickedness: Esau was selfish and showed disrespect for the Lord’s covenant symbols (see Genesis 25:34). The nation of Edom came to represent the pride of a self-centered life (see Jeremiah 49:16). The Edomites also allied…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Whereas--"But if" Edom say [Maurer]. Edom may strive as she may to recover herself, but it shall be in vain, for I doom her to perpetual desolation, whereas I restore Israel. This Jehovah states, to illustrate His gratuitous love to Israel, rather than to Edom. border of wickedness--a region given over to the curse of reprobation [Calvin]. For a time Judea seemed as desolate as Idumea; but though the latter was once the highway of Eastern commerce, now…Read the comment
Topics related to Malachi 1:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Malachi 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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