The Meaning of Malachi 1:14 Explained

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.

YLT: And cursed is a deceiver, who hath in his drove a male, And is vowing, and is sacrificing a marred thing to the Lord, For a great king am I, said Jehovah of Hosts, And My name is revered among nations!

Darby: Yea, cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing; for I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is terrible among the nations.

ASV: But cursed be the deceiver, who hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a blemished thing; for I am a great King, saith Jehovah of hosts, and my name is terrible among the Gentiles.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Malachi 1:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The people also were playing the old bait and switch game; they were swindling God. They vowed to offer an acceptable animal as a sacrifice, but when it came time to present the offering they substituted one of inferior quality. How totally inappropriate this was since Yahweh was a great King, the greatest in the universe, really the ultimate royal suzerain. His name would be feared among all the nations, yet His own people and their spiritual leaders were treating it with contempt.
"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn"t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever." [1]
"All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and his Son among all the peoples of the earth. Missions is not that goal. It is the means. And for that reason it is the second greatest human activity in the world." [2]
Lack of true heart for the Lord and His service marked these leaders of God"s people. They evidently thought He did not notice their actions and attitudes, but Malachi confronted them with their hypocrisy. The prophet"s words should also challenge modern servants of the Lord and leaders of His people to examine our hearts.

Context Summary

Malachi 1:1-14 - Sincerity Of Worship Sought
The love referred to in these opening Malachi 1:1-5, was exemplified in the divine choice, that through Israel the whole world might be blessed. Hate does not mean positive dislike but a forfeiture of the supreme place of privilege and ministry. Esau's sensuous nature preferred the mess of pottage to the birthright, and this was characteristic of his people. In Malachi 1:6-14 the prophet turns to the priests. They despised God's name and without scruple offered on his altar the lame, the blind, and the sick. They did not hesitate to speak of the routine of Levitical service as a weariness. Notice the pathetic appeal of Malachi 1:10, r.v., "Oh that there were one to shut the doors of my house, that ye might not offer vain sacrifices!" In contrast to this indifference, the truly marvelous outlook in Malachi 1:11 is very significant. Far away from Jewish altars, God's name was revered in Gentile lands, and sacrifices were offered which He accepted. The words remind us of Acts 10:34-35. [source]

Chapter Summary: Malachi 1

1  Malachi complains of Israel's unkindness;
2  of their irreverence and profaneness

What do the individual words in Malachi 1:14 mean?

But cursed [be] the deceiver and who has in his flock a male and takes a vow but sacrifices what is blemished to the Lord for King [am] a great I says Yahweh of hosts and My name [is to be] feared among the nations
וְאָר֣וּר נוֹכֵ֗ל וְיֵ֤שׁ בְּעֶדְרוֹ֙ זָכָ֔ר וְנֹדֵ֛ר וְזֹבֵ֥חַ מָשְׁחָ֖ת לַֽאדֹנָ֑י כִּי֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ גָּד֜וֹל אָ֗נִי אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת וּשְׁמִ֖י נוֹרָ֥א בַגּוֹיִֽם

וְאָר֣וּר  But  cursed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: אָרַר  
Sense: to curse.
נוֹכֵ֗ל  [be]  the  deceiver 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָכַל  
Sense: to be deceitful, be crafty, be knavish.
וְיֵ֤שׁ  and  who  has 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: יֵשׁ  
Sense: being, existence, substance, there is or are.
בְּעֶדְרוֹ֙  in  his  flock 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֵדֶר  
Sense: flock, herd.
זָכָ֔ר  a  male 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
וְנֹדֵ֛ר  and  takes  a  vow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָדַר  
Sense: to vow, make a vow.
וְזֹבֵ֥חַ  but  sacrifices 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
מָשְׁחָ֖ת  what  is  blemished 
Parse: Verb, Hofal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
לַֽאדֹנָ֑י  to  the  Lord 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
מֶ֨לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
גָּד֜וֹל  [am]  a  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
אָמַר֙  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
וּשְׁמִ֖י  and  My  name 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
נוֹרָ֥א  [is  to  be]  feared 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
בַגּוֹיִֽם  among  the  nations 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.