Malachi 1 7

Malachi 1:7 kjv

Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

Malachi 1:7 nkjv

"You offer defiled food on My altar, But say, 'In what way have we defiled You?' By saying, 'The table of the LORD is contemptible.'

Malachi 1:7 niv

"By offering defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible.

Malachi 1:7 esv

By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the LORD's table may be despised.

Malachi 1:7 nlt

"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.

Malachi 1 verses

Malachi 1 7 Meaning

Malachi 1:7 is a direct accusation from God to the priests of Israel for their contemptuous and dishonorable service in the temple. They were offering blemished and defiled sacrifices on the altar, treating God's sacred provisions and His holy presence with disdain, all while hypocritically questioning their offense against Him. The core of their sin was a heart attitude that perceived the worship of the Lord, symbolized by His "table" or altar, as something of little value or even scorn.

Malachi 1 7 Context

Malachi is the final book of the Old Testament, written in the post-exilic period, likely mid-5th century BC, after the temple's reconstruction (516 BC) but before or during the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah. The people had returned to Judah but fell into spiritual apathy and moral compromise.

Malachi 1:7 falls within the first disputation (Mal 1:6-2:9) between the Lord and His priests. God accuses the priests of dishonoring Him. The preceding verses (Mal 1:1-5) establish God's enduring love for Jacob/Israel and His sovereignty. Malachi 1:6 sets the stage by asking, "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?" The priests respond, "How have we dishonored Your name?" Verse 7, then, is God's direct answer, detailing their specific offense: offering defiled sacrifices. This passage highlights a spiritual crisis where the very leaders of worship were corrupt, leading to a breakdown in true reverence and obedience among the people. Their questioning ("How have we defiled You?") demonstrates either genuine ignorance or, more likely, cynical denial of their egregious sins.

Malachi 1 7 Word analysis

• "You": Addressed to the priests (Heb. כהנים, kohanim), as implied by the context of offering sacrifices on the altar, and explicitly stated in Mal 2:1. This is a direct, confrontational address to those who should be guardians of holiness.
• "are presenting": (מַגִּישִׁים, maggiyshym). From the root נגש (nagash), meaning "to draw near, bring, present." It indicates their active participation and responsibility in bringing the offerings. It's not a passive act but a conscious choice.
• "defiled": (מְגֹאָל, m'go'al). This is a Pual participle from the root גאל (ga'al), which means "to be defiled, to be polluted, stained." It denotes more than mere "uncleanliness" (which could be ceremonial and accidental); it suggests profanation or deliberate tainting. It highlights that the sacrifices, which should be holy and spotless, were rendered impure and contemptible by the priests' negligence or intent. This is a severe indictment against sacred service.
• "food": (לֶחֶם, lekhem). Literally "bread," but in the context of sacrificial offerings, it encompasses the meal or sustenance offered to God. It can refer to various parts of the sacrificial victim or specific grain offerings, serving as divine provision or sustenance given by worshippers to the Lord. It signifies the substantial element of the sacrifice, representing the people's tribute and dependence.
• "on My altar": (עַל מִזְבְּחִי, 'al mizbechi). The altar (מזבח, mizbeakh) was the focal point of worship and atonement, where communion with God was ritualized. It was designated by God as holy. Presenting defiled offerings on His altar constituted a direct affront to His sanctity, sovereignty, and presence.
• "but you say": This phrase introduces the priests' defensive, disingenuous, or oblivious response, typical of Malachi's disputation style. It exposes their spiritual blindness and denial.
• "'How have we defiled You?'": A rhetorical question from the priests that reveals either shocking ignorance or defiant denial of their wrongdoing. It highlights their spiritual disconnect and lack of self-awareness regarding their disrespect for God.
• "In that you say": Identifies the specific utterance that reveals their contempt. Their words are the evidence of their inner disposition.
• "'The table of the LORD'": This is a direct reference to the altar (cf. Ezek 41:22 for the altar described as a table). It refers to the place where offerings were laid before God, conceived as His "table" because the offerings were metaphorically food set before Him. It emphasizes God's presence and provision in the sacred ritual.
• "is to be despised": (נִבְזֶה הוּא, nivzeh hu). From the root בזה (bazah), meaning "to despise, scorn, hold in contempt, treat lightly." The passive voice implies that it is being treated with contempt or rendered contemptible. This word reveals the fundamental attitude of the priests: they held God's worship and the sacred elements of it in low esteem, suggesting it wasn't worthy of their best effort or the prescribed purity. This was not a verbal declaration but an attitude manifested in their actions and offerings.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "You are presenting defiled food on My altar": This clause encapsulates the overt act of sacrilege. The priests, who were consecrated to maintain holiness, were actively profaning the sacred space and offerings. This wasn't merely neglect; it was an active contribution to spiritual corruption by their improper actions. The defiled food indicates substandard, impure sacrifices (e.g., blind, lame, sick animals from Mal 1:8). The altar, as God's dwelling place in worship, became a platform for dishonor.
• "but you say, 'How have we defiled You?'": This contrasting clause highlights the priests' brazen ignorance or self-justification. They commit flagrant sins against God's holiness, yet question how their actions could be seen as offensive. This reveals a profound moral and spiritual blindness, characteristic of the apostasy Malachi addresses. It is part of a "disputation formula" common in Malachi, where God makes an accusation, the people/priests deny it, and God then provides the proof.
• "In that you say, 'The table of the LORD is to be despised.'": This crucial explanation reveals the underlying heart condition that led to the defiled offerings. Their words—either openly spoken or reflected in their negligent actions—demonstrate an inner contempt for God's sacred things. The "table of the LORD" (the altar) symbolized God's holy provision and the very communion with Him through sacrifice. To treat it as "despicable" was to hold God himself in contempt, reducing divine worship to a trivial, burdensome, and undervalued duty, not worthy of proper reverence or quality offerings. This attitude justifies the priests' actions of offering cheap, blemished animals because, in their view, God's requirements or His presence at the altar were not worthy of anything better.

Malachi 1 7 Bonus section

The Hebrew word for "defiled" (m'go'al), derived from ga'al, emphasizes a deep level of pollution that renders something profane, fundamentally unfit for its sacred purpose. It carries a stronger connotation than mere "unclean," implying an active act of desecration rather than a state of ceremonial impurity that could be cleansed. This choice of word highlights the severity of the priests' actions; they weren't just inadvertently impure but actively making God's sacred things common and unworthy.

The specific "food" (lekhem) reference might also carry an echo of the showbread in the tabernacle, though here it refers more generally to the sacrificial offerings. However, its usage suggests a deeper implication: that what was presented to God was meant to be his "sustenance" in a symbolic way, signifying dependence and provision. To profane it was to deny God's dignity and claim on such provision.

Malachi's accusation to the priests also functions as a stark contrast to their ordained purpose. According to Levitical law, priests were called to distinguish between the holy and the profane (Lev 10:10), ensuring ritual purity and instructing the people in God's ways (Mal 2:7). Here, they are doing the exact opposite – profaning the holy, demonstrating that their own hearts had blurred these distinctions, leading the nation into spiritual decline. This systemic corruption among leadership would have devastating consequences for the covenant community.

Malachi 1 7 Commentary

Malachi 1:7 powerfully indicts the priests of post-exilic Israel, exposing their deep-seated spiritual malaise. God's accusation that they were "presenting defiled food on My altar" directly pointed to their flagrant disobedience to Mosaic law (Lev 22; Deut 15), which strictly forbade offering blemished animals. These defective sacrifices were not only a violation of the Law but a direct reflection of the priests' inner disposition.

Their subsequent query, "How have we defiled You?", exemplifies the spiritual blindness and self-righteousness rampant in Malachi's day. It was a defiant questioning of God's indictment, a refusal to acknowledge their sin despite glaring evidence. God's response pierces through their denial: their very words, and the actions those words reveal, demonstrate that they saw "The table of the LORD" (the altar) as something "to be despised." This was not just about the quality of the sacrifice; it was about the attitude toward the Sacred. They regarded God's presence, His sanctuary, and His commanded worship as contemptible, a burdensome duty rather than a reverent privilege. This disregard permeated their service, leading them to believe that substandard offerings were sufficient for a "table" they no longer valued.

The verse is a potent warning against hypocrisy and going through religious motions without a true heart of reverence and love for God. The defilement was not merely physical but spiritual, emanating from a heart that held God's holy requirements in disdain. It underscored that God values honor and reverence in worship, not merely ritualistic observance.

Examples:

• Offering the bare minimum: Giving the cheapest, least valuable possessions or time to God, akin to the lame animals.
• Perfunctory attendance: Attending church or engaging in spiritual disciplines out of routine or obligation, not heartfelt desire.
• Complaining about service: Viewing acts of worship or service as tiresome burdens rather than joyful opportunities.