Malachi 1 · Verse 8

Malachi 1:8

And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 1:8, King James Version

Malachi 1:8 in other translations

BSBWhen you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.
WEBWhen you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says the LORD of Armies.
ASVAnd when ye offer the blind for sacrifice, it is no evil! and when ye offer the lame and sick, it is no evil! Present it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts.
YLTAnd when ye bring nigh the blind for sacrifice, ‘There is no evil,' And when ye bring nigh the lame and sick, ‘There is no evil;' Bring it near, I pray thee, to thy governor--Doth he accept thee? or doth he lift up thy face? Said Jehovah of Hosts.
DARBYAnd if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Present it now unto thy governor: will he be pleased with thee? or will he accept thy person? saith Jehovah of hosts.
BBEAnd when you give what is blind for an offering, it is no evil! and when you give what is damaged and ill, it is no evil! Give it now to your ruler; will he be pleased with you, or will you have his approval? says the Lord of armies.
WebsterAnd if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now to thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.

What does Malachi 1:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. Your earthly ruler would feel insulted, if offered by you the offering with which ye put off God (see Le 22:22, 24). is it not evil?--Maurer translates, "There is no evil," in your opinion, in such an offering; it is quite good enough for such a purpose.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 Offer it now unto thy governor - פחת pechath, a word signifying a lieutenant, or viceroy, among the Chaldeans, Syrians, and Persians; for neither at this time, nor ever after, was there a king in Israel.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Malachi 1:6-14

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…

Read the full comment on Malachi 1:6-14 →

Malachi 1:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְכִֽי\־ve.khi-and ifH3588
תַגִּשׁ֨וּןta.gi.Shunyou bring near !H5066
עִוֵּ֤ר'i.Vera blind [animal]H5787
לִזְבֹּ֙חַ֙liz.Bo.achto sacrificeH2076
אֵ֣ין'einnot?H369
רָ֔עRa'[is it] evilH7451
וְכִ֥יve.Khiand ifH3588
תַגִּ֛ישׁוּta.Gi.shuyou bring nearH5066
פִּסֵּ֥חַpi.Se.acha lame [animal]H6455
וְחֹלֶ֖הve.cho.Lehand a sick [animal]H2470
אֵ֣ין'ein[is it] not?H369
רָ֑עRa'evilH7451
הַקְרִיבֵ֨הוּhak.ri.Ve.hubring near itH7126
נָ֜אna'pleaseH4994
לְפֶחָתֶ֗ךָle.fe.cha.Te.khato governor yourH6346
הֲיִרְצְךָ֙ha.yir.tze.Kha¿ will he be pleased with youH7521
א֚וֹ'oorH176
הֲיִשָּׂ֣אha.yi.Sa'¿ will he lift upH5375
פָנֶ֔יךָfa.Nei.khaface yourH6440
אָמַ֖ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֥הYah.wehYahwehH3068
צְבָאֽוֹת\׃tze.va.'otof hostsH6635

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Malachi 1:8

  • Deuteronomy 15:21

    And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.

  • Leviticus 22:19-25

    Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord. …

  • Hosea 8:13

    They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the Lord accepteth them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

  • Jeremiah 14:10

    Thus saith the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the Lord doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

  • Malachi 1:13-14

    Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the Lord of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the Lord. 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.

  • Psalms 20:3

    Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.

  • Job 42:8

    Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

  • Malachi 1:10

    Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the Lord of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
if ye offer the blind.
14; Le 22:19-25; De 15:21
for sacrifice, Heb. to sacrifice. or accept.
10,13; Job 42:8; Ps 20:3; Jer 14:10; Ho 8:13

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Malachi 1:7

    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 1:8

    And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the Lord of hosts.

  • Malachi 1:9

    And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts.

Read all of Malachi 1

Malachi 1:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando ofrecéis el animal ciego para sacrificar, ¿no es malo? asimismo cuando ofrecéis el cojo ó el enfermo, ¿no es malo? Preséntalo pues á tu príncipe: ¿acaso se agradará de ti, ó le serás acepto? dice Jehová de los ejércitos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et si vous présentez une bête aveugle en sacrifice, n’est-ce pas mal? et si vous en présentez une boiteuse et malade, n’est-ce pas mal? Offre-la donc à ton gouverneur: t’agréera-t-il, ou te recevra-t-il avec faveur? dit l’ Éternel des armées.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und wenn ihr Blindes darbringet, um es zu opfern, so ist es nichts Böses; und wenn ihr Lahmes und Krankes darbringet, so ist es nichts Böses. Bringe es doch deinem Landpfleger dar: wird er dich wohlgefällig annehmen, oder Rücksicht mit dir haben? spricht Jehova der Heerscharen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Si offeratis cæcum ad immolandum, nonne malum est? et si offeratis claudum et languidum, nonne malum est? offer illud duci tuo, si placuerit ei, aut si susceperit faciem tuam, dicit Dominus exercituum.