New Living Translation
Malachi 1:6
6The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’
Malachi 1:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?
- New International Version (NIV)“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty. “It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’
- English Standard Version (ESV)"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?'
- New King James Version (NKJV)“A son honors his father, And a servant his master. If then I am the Father, Where is My honor? And if I am a Master, Where is My reverence? Says the Lord of hosts To you priests who despise My name. Yet you say, ‘In what way have we despised Your name?’
Context of Malachi 1:6
4Esau’s descendants in Edom may say, “We have been shattered, but we will rebuild the ruins.” But the Lord of Heaven’s Armies replies, “They may try to rebuild, but I will demolish them again. Their country will be known as ‘The Land of Wickedness,’ and their people will be called ‘The People with Whom the Lord Is Forever Angry.’ 5When you see the destruction for yourselves, you will say, ‘Truly, the Lord’s greatness reaches far beyond Israel’s borders!’” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to the priests: “A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! “But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’ 7“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. 8When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased? Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Read all of Malachi 1Malachi 1:6 word by word
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׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- A sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- honourethכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
- fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
- and a servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- his masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- mine honourכָּבוֹדkâbôd kâbôd · gloryH3519
- my fearמוֹרָאmôrâ' môrâ' môrâh · fearH4172
- saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- unto you, O priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
- that despiseבָּזָהbâzâh · to despiseH959
- my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
Cross-references for Malachi 1:6
- Exodus 20:12“Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
- Leviticus 19:3“Each of you must show great respect for your mother and father, and you must always observe my Sabbath days of rest. I am the Lord your God.
- Deuteronomy 5:16“Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
- Proverbs 30:11Some people curse their father and do not thank their mother.
- Matthew 15:4For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’
- Matthew 19:19Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
- Mark 7:10For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’
- Mark 10:19But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”
- Luke 18:20But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’”
- Ephesians 6:2“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise:
- 1 Timothy 6:1All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching.
- 1 Peter 2:17Respect everyone, and love the family of believers. Fear God, and respect the king.
- Malachi 2:9“So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.”
- Exodus 4:22Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.
- Isaiah 1:2Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth! This is what the Lord says: “The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me.
- Isaiah 64:8And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.
Commentaries on Malachi 1:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6A 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.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6A son honoreth his father, and a slave his lord - Having spoken of the love of God, he turns to the thanklessness of man. God appeals to the first feelings of the human heart, the relation of parent and child, or, failing this, to the natural self-interest of those dependent on their fellow-men. A “son” by the instinct of nature, by the unwritten law written in the heart, “honoreth his father.” If he fails to do so, he is counted to have broken the law of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-14Verses 6-14 We may each charge upon ourselves what is here charged upon the priests. Our relation to God, as our Father and Master, strongly obliges us to fear and honour him. But they were so scornful that they derided reproof. Sinners ruin themselves by trying to baffle their convictions. Those who live in careless neglect of holy ordinances, who attend on them without reverence, and go from them under no concern, in effect say, The table of the Lord is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6who despise My name: God’s name refers to his reputation and character. It describes who God is and how he is known by his people (compare Ezekiel 36:19–24). The Judeans were showing how little they thought of God by giving him worthless offerings.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Turning from the people to the priests, Jehovah asks, whereas His love to the people was so great, where was their love towards Him? If the priests, as they profess, regard Him as their Father (Is 63:16) and Master, let them show the reality of their profession by love and reverential fear (Ex 20:12; Lu 6:46). He addresses the priests because they ought to be leaders in piety to the rest of the people, whereas they are foremost in "despising His name."…Read the comment
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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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