Malachi 1 14

Malachi 1:14 kjv

But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.

Malachi 1:14 nkjv

"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.

Malachi 1:14 niv

"Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations.

Malachi 1:14 esv

Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.

Malachi 1:14 nlt

"Cursed is the cheat who promises to give a fine ram from his flock but then sacrifices a defective one to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "and my name is feared among the nations!

Malachi 1 verses

Malachi 1 14 Meaning

This verse is a powerful declaration of God's judgment against those who show contempt for Him by offering substandard sacrifices, particularly after having vowed to give Him their best. It highlights the severe condemnation upon individuals who possess perfect male animals suitable for sacrifice—often a result of a vow made—yet deceitfully present a blemished or inferior offering to the Lord. God unequivocally asserts His identity as the "great King," the "LORD of hosts," whose name is rightfully to be revered and acknowledged among all nations, emphasizing His supreme sovereignty and holiness in contrast to humanity's casual disobedience.

Malachi 1 14 Context

Malachi 1:14 concludes God's strong rebuke of the priests and the people of Judah regarding their corrupt worship practices, specifically focusing on their bringing of defiled and inferior sacrifices to the temple. Chapter 1 begins with God's assertion of His enduring love for Israel (Mal 1:2-5), followed by a pointed indictment against the priests for despising His name (Mal 1:6). The immediate verses leading up to verse 14 (Mal 1:7-13) detail how they polluted the altar with "defiled food," brought blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifice, and complained about the burdensome service, revealing their profound disrespect for God. This verse therefore serves as the climactic pronouncement of judgment (a curse) against the "deceiver" who knowingly withholds the required perfect offering, instead presenting a blemished one, thereby treating God as insignificant. Historically, this post-exilic community, having returned from Babylonian captivity, was meant to embody renewed devotion to God, yet many, including the religious leaders, had fallen into complacency and spiritual apathy, valuing personal convenience over divine commands and honoring God.

Malachi 1 14 Word analysis

• "But cursed be" (וְאָרוּר, v’arur): The Hebrew word arur signifies a solemn declaration of divine judgment, bringing calamity and misfortune upon the cursed individual. It is the antithesis of baruk (blessed). This is a legal and spiritual pronouncement of exclusion from God's favor and presence, carrying severe implications for one who deliberately disobeys and deceives Him in worship.
• "the deceiver" (גֹּלֵל, golel): This term signifies someone who acts treacherously, hypocritically, or deceitfully, particularly in the context of religious duties. It implies a conscious act of fraudulence, knowing the divine requirement yet intentionally offering less than what is due or vowed. The emphasis is on internal insincerity and external pretense in religious devotion.
• "who has a male" (אֲשֶׁר יֶשׁ־בְּעֶדְרוֹ זָכָר, ’asher yesh-b'edro zakhar): This refers to possessing an unblemished, strong, and virile male animal, which was the standard and preferred offering for many significant sacrifices, such as the burnt offering (Lev 1:3). The phrase emphasizes that the individual had the capacity and the ideal animal to fulfill the requirement.
• "in his flock" (בְּעֶדְרוֹ, b'edro): Refers to one's own possession or livelihood. It underlines that the ideal offering was readily available to the individual, increasing their culpability for withholding it.
• "and vows" (וְנֹדֵר, v'noder): To make a vow is to make a solemn promise or oath to God, often involving an offering given as an act of thanksgiving or petition (Num 30:2). This signifies a conscious, voluntary, and binding commitment made to the Lord, making its deceptive fulfillment a grave offense.
• "but sacrifices" (וְזֹבֵחַ, v'zove'ah): This is the act of performing the sacrifice, which should be an act of worship and obedience. Here, the verb highlights the deceptive intention: they go through the motions of worship, but the offering itself is a violation.
• "to the Lord" (לַיהוָה, laYahweh): The offering is specifically for Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. This emphasizes that the deception is directly against the Most High, the Holy One who established the covenant and commanded pure worship.
• "a blemished thing" (מָשְׁחָת, mushchat, "that which is corrupted," "defective"): This directly violates numerous Mosaic laws (e.g., Lev 22:19-24). A blemished animal would be sickly, diseased, or in some way imperfect. Giving this implies that one considers God unworthy of their best, or perhaps they view God as ignorant of their offering's quality.
• "for I am a great King" (כִּי מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל אָנִי, ki Melech gadol ani): God asserts His supreme, sovereign authority and majestic universal reign. He is not merely a local deity but the supreme Ruler over all. This stands in stark contrast to the trivialized offerings His people present, as if He were an insignificant figure.
• "says the LORD of hosts" (נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, neum YHWH Tseba'ot): Neum is a prophetic formula indicating direct divine utterance. YHWH Tseba'ot (LORD of Armies/Hosts) highlights God's omnipotence and His command over all celestial and earthly powers, underscoring His absolute power to execute His judgments.
• "and my name is to be feared among the nations" (וּשְׁמִי נֹורָא בַגּוֹיִם, u'sh'mi nora bagoyim): God’s name represents His very character, reputation, and essence. "To be feared" (nora) means to be awe-inspiring and revered. God proclaims that His glory is recognized and reverenced even among the Gentiles, highlighting the egregious failure of His own covenant people to give Him due honor. This universal recognition underscores His true sovereignty.

• "But cursed be the deceiver who has a male in his flock and vows, but sacrifices to the Lord a blemished thing": This entire phrase delineates the specific offense that draws divine judgment. It identifies a person who is intellectually aware of what God requires (a male animal) and what they themselves have promised (vows), yet consciously acts to defraud God by offering something inferior (a blemished thing). This is a strong indictment against hypocrisy and spiritual fraud.
• "for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and my name is to be feared among the nations": This two-part declaration serves as God's justification for His severe judgment. Firstly, it states His undeniable identity as the supreme sovereign, meaning His commands are absolute and His honor cannot be trifled with. Secondly, it shames Israel by noting that even the pagan nations implicitly (or explicitly, as implied in Mal 1:11) acknowledge His awesome power, contrasting sharply with His own people's contemptible treatment of Him. This also speaks to God's universal glory that will be acknowledged beyond Israel.

Malachi 1 14 Bonus section

• This verse serves as a crucial theological anchor within Malachi, contrasting Israel's failure to honor God (Mal 1:6-13) with God's inherent universal glory and His anticipated recognition among the Gentiles (Mal 1:11, 1:14). It implicitly warns Israel that their spiritual privileges come with greater responsibility, and their failure leads to a loss of the very glory they were meant to reflect to the nations.
• The specific mention of "a male in his flock" points to the extreme nature of their offense, as male animals were particularly stipulated in the Mosaic Law for pure, costly offerings (Lev 1:3). The "deceiver" wasn't merely bringing anything; they were actively bringing a deficient item when they knowingly possessed the required, valuable item.
• The severity of the curse emphasizes the supreme value God places on honesty, integrity, and sincere worship over empty, perfunctory ritual. It lays a foundational principle for New Testament teachings about giving God our entire lives as a "living sacrifice" (Rom 12:1-2) and shunning hypocrisy in devotion.

Malachi 1 14 Commentary

Malachi 1:14 delivers a profound and conclusive judgment against deliberate insincerity and disrespect in worship. It targets those who, despite possessing the appropriate, perfect animal for sacrifice—perhaps having specifically vowed to provide it—consciously choose to present a defiled or inferior one. This action is not a simple error but a flagrant insult, stemming from spiritual apathy and a disregard for God's holiness. God's response sharply emphasizes His divine identity: not merely a local deity to be appeased with convenient, cheapened offerings, but the "great King" and "LORD of hosts," whose supreme authority extends over all creation and whose name rightfully commands universal awe. The paradox highlighted is stinging: while God's own people show contempt, His glorious name is revered among the nations they might despise. The verse powerfully condemns ritualistic hypocrisy, insisting on integrity, genuine reverence, and the offering of one's very best to God, reminding us that He is entirely worthy of our utmost devotion and perfectly discerns the true heart behind our actions.