Malachi 1:9

9 And now, I pray you, beseech G-d that He will be gracious unto us; with such offerings from your hand, will He receive you? saith Hashem Tzva’os.

Malachi 1:9 Meaning and Commentary

Malachi 1:9

And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious
unto us
These are the words of the prophet to the priests; and are spoken either seriously, exhorting them to that part of their office which lay in interceding for the people that God would be gracious to them, and forgive their sins; and the rather, inasmuch as they had been the means of their sin, and accessary to it, who ought to have reproved them for bringing such offerings, and should have refused to offer them for them; or otherwise, if they did not do this, they could not expect that God would accept their persons, and their offerings: or else ironically, now you have offered such sacrifices to the Lord, as the blind, the lame, and sick, go and intercede for the people; pray that their sins may be forgiven them, and that the curse may be removed from them, and see how you will succeed: this hath been by your means;
that such sacrifices were offered up; they indulged the people in such practices, and encouraged them; the fault was theirs; or this curse, as Kimchi explains it, from ( Malachi 1:14 ) : will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts;
can you ever imagine that God will have any respect to your persons or prayers, when you have acted so vile a part, and been the cause of so much sin and evil? no, he will not, as is asserted in the following verse ( Malachi 1:10 ) .

Malachi 1:9 In-Context

7 Ye offer lechem mego’al (defiled food) upon Mine mizbe’ach; and ye say, Wherein have we defiled Thee? In that ye say, The shulchan of Hashem is to be despised.

8 And when ye offer the blind animal for sacrifice, is it not rah? And when ye offer the lame and diseased, is it not rah? Offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or receive thee? saith Hashem Tzva’os.

9 And now, I pray you, beseech G-d that He will be gracious unto us; with such offerings from your hand, will He receive you? saith Hashem Tzva’os.

10 Who is there even among you that would shut the dlatayim of the Beis Hamikdash so that eish would not be kindled on Mine mizbe’ach in vain? There is no chefetz (pleasure) to Me with you, saith Hashem Tzva’os, neither will I accept a minchah at your hand.

11 For from the rising of the shemesh even unto the going down of the same My name shall be gadol among the Goyim; and in every place incense shall be offered unto My name, and a minchah tehorah; for My name shall be gadol among the Goyim, saith Hashem Tzva’os.