Malachi 1:9
in Malachi 1“But ask now for God’s favor. Will He be gracious? Since this has come from your hands, will He show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And now, I pray you, entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he accept any of your persons? saith Jehovah of hosts.
KJV
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.
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This verse in Malachi 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And now entreat, I pray you, God o that He will be gracious unto you - This is not a call to repentance, for he assumes that God would not accept them.
This site's exposition
But ask now for God’s favor
on Malachi 1:9-10
The call "But ask now for God’s favor" is irony, since the offerings are why favor is withheld. The LORD would rather one of them "shut the temple doors" than kindle "useless fires on My altar". Verse 11 then sets the pure offerings of the nations against theirs.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(V. 9) And now beseech the face of God that he may have mercy on you: for by your hand has this been done, if in any way he may accept your faces, says the Lord of hosts. Who is among you that shut the doors, and kindle my altar to no purpose?
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
We must see how much God's judgments are by our means, and be awakened thereby to be earnest with him to return in mercy; and, if we take not this course, how can we think he should regard our persons? He declares his resolution both to secure the glory of his own name and to reckon with those who profane it.
"Try now what interest you have at the throne of grace; improve it for the removing of this plague, for it has been by your means; you have provoked God to send it. But as you go on thus to profane his sacred things will he regard your persons or your prayers?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The L ORD will be magnified from the border of Israel. The prophecy of this book is entitled, The burden of the word of the Lord (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us,....
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
now . . . beseech God that he will be gracious--Ironical. Think you that God will be persuaded by such polluted gifts to be gracious to you? Far from it. this hath been by your means--literally, "hand." These contemptible offerings are your doing, as being the priests mediating between God and the people; and think you, will God pay any regard to you (compare Mal 1:8, 10)?
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
Beseech God - There were evident marks of God’s displeasure in the land, and it was occasioned by these pollutions through the priests. And now he exhorts them to pray to God that they may be pardoned: for, if this practice be persisted in, God will not accept any offering made by them.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
O that there were even one among you that would close the doors If only a good man would arise among you who would close the doors of My sanctuary so as not to allow this abominable sacrifice there.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 1 further source is cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֛ה | veatah | and now | H6258 → | 433 times |
| חַלּוּ־ | chalu- | entreat | H2470 → | 76 times |
| נָ֥א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| פְנֵי־ | fenei- | [the] face of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֵ֖ל | ʾel | God | H410 → | 241 times |
| וִֽיחָנֵ֑נוּ | vichanenu | so he may show favor to us | H2603 → | |
| מִיֶּדְכֶם֙ | miyedkhem | from hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| הָ֣יְתָה | hayetah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| זֹּ֔את | zot | this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| הֲיִשָּׂ֤א | hayisa' | ¿ will he lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| מִכֶּם֙ | mikem | any of <the> you | ||
| פָּנִ֔ים | panim | face | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אָמַ֖ר | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָאֽוֹת׃ | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
וְעַתָּ֛הand now
veatahH6258 →433 times
חַלּוּ־entreat
chalu-H2470 →76 times
נָ֥אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
פְנֵי־[the] face of
fenei-H6440 →2123 times
אֵ֖לGod
ʾelH410 →241 times
וִֽיחָנֵ֑נוּso he may show favor to us
vichanenuH2603 →
מִיֶּדְכֶם֙from hand your
miyedkhemH3027 →1618 times
הָ֣יְתָהit was
hayetahH1961 →3559 times
זֹּ֔אתthis
zotH2063 →603 times
הֲיִשָּׂ֤א¿ will he lift up
hayisa'H5375 →656 times
מִכֶּם֙any of <the> you
mikem
פָּנִ֔יםface
panimH6440 →2123 times
אָמַ֖רhe says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָאֽוֹת׃of hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
John 9:31We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
it leads to
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Proverbs 28:9
Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable.
- Micah 3:4
Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
- Proverbs 15:29
Through
Romans 2:11For God does not show favoritism.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 19:7
And now, may the fear of the LORD be upon you. Be careful what you do, for with the LORD our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 10:17
For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God, showing no partiality and accepting no bribe.
- Acts 10:34
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
- 2 Chronicles 19:7
Through
1 Peter 1:17Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners.
it leads to
- Acts 10:34–35
Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism,
- Acts 10:34–35
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
About Malachi
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Malachi; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.