Artwork by Douglas Kallerson.
Malachi 3:7-12
The Tithe and the Oblation
(Typed 14 October 2024) In the verses today, some of the most often quoted and yet completely misapplied verses are found in Scripture. They are cited every weekend in churches throughout the world. They are read on Christian TV and in evangelistic crusades. They are found in innumerable commentaries and sermons as well.
And yet, they have absolutely nothing to do with the Christian church except for understanding what Israel as a nation could expect from God for faithful obedience to His law.
The Lord, through Malachi, said that Israel was defrauding God by failing to honor Him through the system of tithes established in the Law of Moses. Here are a couple of toughies for you. Think carefully. If you need time to answer, you won’t get it. We have a sermon to get through. But give it your best shot.
Who was the Law of Moses given to? Was the Law of Moses given to any other group of people on the planet? Did Jesus fulfill the Law of Moses? What happened to the law when Jesus fulfilled it?
In annulling the law, what did Jesus introduce? In coming to God through Jesus, do we enter into the Mosaic Covenant or the New Covenant? Was tithing a precept of the Mosaic Covenant? Is tithing a precept of the New Covenant?
Why do people keep shoving tithing down people’s throats with verses that have nothing to do with either the New Covenant or the church founded by the New Covenant?
Like everything else, the precepts of the law anticipate Jesus. This includes tithing. If Israel was robbing God by failing to tithe, and if Jesus is the fulfillment of the tithe, then how can we rob God by failing to tithe? We are in Christ, the fulfillment of the tithe! Think it through.
Text Verse: “And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13, 14
The “handwriting of requirements” mentioned in the text verse is the Law of Moses. To wipe out means to erase. It no longer exists as a part of God’s plan for His people. Rather, it exists as a point of enmity between Him and the people of Israel.
Their failure to come to Christ has brought all of the catastrophes that they have faced for two millennia upon them. They remain bound to the law and outside of God’s favor. So no, you are not robbing from God when you don’t tithe. You will not get special blessings poured out from heaven when you do tithe.
How do you rob God? By being ungrateful for the blessings in Christ that He has provided. When we fail to thank and praise Him, we rob Him of His just due.
That means when we fail to come to Him through Jesus, we are actively robbing Him. As noted, Jesus is the fulfillment of the tithe. To fail to acknowledge Jesus as Savior is to rob God. It isn’t money God is looking for from you. Rather, He expects His Son to be honored. Jesus said this explicitly in John 5:23, “He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.”
Theology is important. Proper theology actually matters. When we get our understanding of God and what He expects wrong, we only harm ourselves. Be ready to put in the time necessary to get these things right! It is a certain truth that is to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again, and… May God speak to us through His word today, and may His glorious name ever be praised.
I. Return Unto Me (verses 7-9)
7 Yet from the days of your fathers
You have gone away from My ordinances
And have not kept them.
l’mime avothekhem sartem mekhuqay v’lo sh’martem –
“To from days your fathers,
Veered from My enactments,
And not guarded.”
What is the Lord saying here? He just got done telling them –
“For I am the Lord, I do not change;
Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” Malachi 3:6
Immediately after saying that, He brings in the fathers of the people, meaning those of the past, even to their inception as the people of Yehovah at Mount Sinai. As E.B. Pusey says –
“Back to those days and from them, ye are gone away from My ordinances. ‘I am not changed from good; ye are not changed from evil. I am unchangeable in holiness; ye are unchangeable in perversity.’”
Throughout their history, Israel has continuously turned from the Lord, veering off the path of His enactments. They failed to guard the sacred charge given to them, which is known as the Law of Moses. Even with the warnings of the prophets both in real-time and then in their recorded history, the witness of the Lord through His word stood against them.
But they are Israel, and He is Yehovah. Despite their unfaithfulness, He remained unchanging and thus faithful to His word. Therefore, the eternal promises stand…
7 (con’t) Return to Me,
shuvu elay – “Return unto Me.” The words, without any disputation, signify free will. Admittedly, it is the nation being referred to, but the nation is comprised of individuals. There is a leader, there are subordinates, there are priests and Levites, etc.
As a nation of individuals, they are called to return to the Lord. The doctrine that denies free will in man is proven false throughout Scripture. When man returns to the Lord, and in this case of the nation of Israel, the promise is given…
7 (con’t) and I will return to you,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
The words contain a cohortative: v’ashuvah alekhem amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –
“‘And I am returning unto you.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
Being a cohortative, it is an absolute and imperative promise. “In returning to Me, I will most assuredly return to you.” It is the same thought that Zechariah spoke to the people around the time of Malachi –
“The Lord has been very angry with your fathers. 3 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts.’” Zechariah 1:2, 3
The unchangeable nature of Yehovah has spoken the words with all certainty: “When this, therefore this.” But Israel egged on the Lord with their own exclamation of supposed innocence…
7 (con’t) “But you said,
‘In what way shall we return?’
vaamartem bameh nashuv – “And said, ‘In what returning?’” “What are You talking about? How have we offended? What have we done wrong?” To this day, it is almost a united voice from the people of Israel. With the exception of a teeny minority who have called on Christ, the nation expects that being the people of the Lord makes them right with God simply because they exist.
As this is so, how can they “return” to Yehovah? The dilemma for them now is even greater than at the time of Malachi. They are asked to return to the Lord through observing and upholding the Law of Moses.
To this day, they don’t do that. Today, they are told to return to Him by receiving Christ, the Fulfiller of the Law of Moses. But to the nation, it is all but unthinkable to even utter such words. As for the points of law at Malachi’s time…
8 “Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
It is a failed translation. The verb is a participle: hayiqba adam elohim ki atem qovim othi –
“Defrauds man God?
For you defrauding Me.”
God is the Provider of all things. If there is something that He expects in return from His creatures, and if that expectation is not met, then God is defrauded of His just due. It is unconscionable to even consider such a thing. And yet, it is as common as pixels on a computer screen.
In the case of the nation of Israel, Yehovah, through Malachi, says that this is not only something that has taken place, but it is ongoing, thus the use of the participle – “defrauding.” What is being defrauded should be perfectly obvious to the people, and indeed it is. However, they again needle the Lord with their incredulity…
8 (con’t) But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
v’amartem bameh q’vaanukha – “And say, ‘In what defrauded You?’” Israel is like the child with chocolate smeared all over his face and fingers who acts as if he has done nothing wrong when asked about the cookies he has been sneaking. “Wha… huh? I didn’t do anything wrong.” But Yehovah says otherwise…
8 (con’t) In tithes and offerings.
Rather: hamaaser v’hat’rumah – “The tithe and the oblation.” Yehovah simply states the words of law without additions. Consider a cop arresting someone for murder, and the murderer says, “What are you talking about? Where is your proof?” With that, the cop pulls the bloody knife out of the guy’s pocket and says, “This knife, covered in his blood.”
Israel owes the tithes to the Lord, and the people have failed to give Him what He is due. Even to the present moment, they are defrauding Him. But how could this matter? As Yehovah says –
“I will not take a bull from your house,
Nor goats out of your folds.
10 For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalm 50:9, 10
If the Lord isn’t taking a bull or a goat (as required oblations), then what is He all upset about? How can He say one thing and then another? Such thinking, however, fails to acknowledge the context. What is the purpose of the tithe and oblation?
It isn’t as if the Lord needs them. Therefore, the purpose of these things is tied up in His nature towards the appropriate recipients of them. Of Yehovah, Moses said –
“He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:18
He says such things about the poor and needy as well. In fact, the only other time the word qaba, to defraud, is used outside of Malachi 3:8, 9 is in Proverbs 22 –
“Do not rob the poor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23 For the Lord will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.” Proverbs 22:22, 23
The word comes from a primitive root signifying to cover. Thus, it is an act of defrauding that is taking place. The Lord isn’t affected by lack or by mistreatment. However, people are. In harming such people, it is as if one is harming Yehovah. Thus…
9 You are cursed with a curse,
bam’erah atem nearim – “In the execration, you execrated.” It is the same word used in Malachi 2:2, meerah, an execration. It means an angry denouncement. It is not a verbal attack levied at someone. Rather, it is a word against a person, his livelihood, possessions, family, etc. In this case, it extends to the entire nation. They stand under the execration of Deuteronomy 28:20 because of their conduct under the law –
“The Lord will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me.”
Things will not go well for them…
9 (con’t) For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
Again, a participle is used: v’othi atem qovim hagoy kulo –
“And Me you defrauding,
The nation – it all.”
The entire nation is being addressed. If it was just one person and the nation was righteous, the one would be punished for his offense. However, this was not the case. Rather, the entire nation was complicit in defrauding Yehovah. As before, being a participle, they had not only defrauded Him, but they continued to do so to that day. To remedy this, He will continue speaking…
Give that tithe, and the Lord will bless you
He will open up the windows of heaven
Send me your money, and this, He will do
I promise you abundance… times seven
Don’t you realize that a tithe you must give?
That’s what the word says. Trust me on this
If you want abundantly to live
You will send it in, and not a percent shall you miss
How can you receive God’s grace if you don’t give?
You must not understand what grace means at all
My goodness! Is it by grace that you think you live?
If that’s what you think, you’re headed for a fall
Give until it hurts, and then give a little more
This is what you must do, even if you are poor
II. Test Me in This (verses 10-12)
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
The word tithe is singular, and the second clause contains a jussive: haviu eth kal ha’maaser el beith haotsar vihi tereph b’veiti –
“Bring all the tithe unto house the depository,
And there shall be fragment in My house.”
The otsar, depository, is from the verb atsar, to store up or lay up. At times, it is used to describe the king’s treasury. It is a place where things are deposited for a particular reason. Even the heavens are called the depository where the rains are stored.
In this case, it is the depository of the tithes for the Lord’s house, as in Nehemiah 12:44, “And at the same time some were appointed over the rooms of the storehouse [otsar] for the offerings, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them from the fields of the cities the portions specified by the Law for the priests and Levites; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and Levites who ministered.”
The use of the jussive, an implied command, highlights that bringing in the tithes fulfills meeting the needs required by the law. In other words, the second clause is not an explanation of the first clause. Rather, the clauses are parallel:
You shall bring in the tithes to the depository.
(I have ordered that) there shall be a fragment in My house.
The word tereph, fragment, is from taraph, to tear or rend. As such, it is something torn and thus a fragment. A portion of the tithe is torn off from the whole tithe. The tithes of Israel are as follows:
- Ten percent is taken out each year as a dedication to the Lord.
- For two years, the tithe is eaten by the people in the presence of the Lord, as indicated in Deuteronomy 14.
- In the third year, the tithe is stored up for the purpose recorded in Deuteronomy 14 –
“At the end of every third year you shall bring out the tithe of your produce of that year and store it up within your gates. 29 And the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hand which you do.” Deuteronomy 14:28, 29
This is the fragment, the tearing off, of the tithe being referred to. In failing to bring in the tithes, the Levites, the priests, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow were being deprived. Because of this, it was as if the Lord Himself was being defrauded by the people.
Therefore, He is telling them to bring the whole tithe meant for Him to the depository along with the oblations required by the law. As for the oblations of verse 8, there were various things that were to be offered by the people, such as the first fruits, the annual half-shekel, various offerings for the tabernacle/temple, portions of sacrifices, and so forth.
Each had its particular purpose, but those purposes could not be met if the people did not give them. Thus, they were under the execration. However, if they met their obligations…
10 (con’t) And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
uvkhanuni na bazoth amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –
“‘And Me test in this.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
The Lord is offering the people a test of His reliability, “If you do this, I will respond with this.” How faithful do the people believe the Lord to be? He is extending an offer to demonstrate what they may fail to understand or what they may question about His reliability. What do they have to lose?
Again, the words are spoken to the nation as a whole. If one person wasn’t tithing but the rest of the nation was being faithful, this would not be stated. Instead, the nation would be responsible for handling the unwilling individual.
This is one of several fallacies of those who cite these verses from Malachi when speaking to people about their need to tithe to the church:
- The words are spoken to Israel under the law and no one else.
- The tithe referred to is the third-year tithe, not ten percent every year.
- The same people who constantly harp about tithing in the church never (no, never ever!) mention the oblations that are spoken of in the same passage – obviously because they do not apply to the church, nor could they ever be mandated in it. And yet, they are as integral to the words of the Lord to Israel as are the tithes!
The hypocrisy and dishonesty of using these verses from Malachi when speaking to the church is both astonishing and appalling. And yet many preachers do, thus promising individuals something that only applies to the nation of Israel under the law, which is…
10 (con’t) “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
im lo ephtakh lakhem eth aruboth ha’shamayim vahariqothi lakhem b’rakha ad beli day –
“If not open to you windows the heavens,
And emptied to you blessing until failure sufficiency.”
As seen earlier, the windows of the heavens refers to the storehouse of the rains that water the land. It is from the rains that the land becomes fruitful and productive, causing crops to grow, grapes to become full and ripen, fruit trees to bear, and so forth.
Israel was an agrarian society. Opening the windows of the heavens is set in contrast to being execrated and receiving no rain. This is not speaking of becoming rich because one gives his tithe to the church. It refers to the land becoming fruitful for the nation to receive its promised increase.
The land would become so productive because the nation honored the Lord that the depository would not be able to hold all of the tithe (failure sufficiency). If there was that much from ten percent of what the people gave, it would mean that their ninety percent would be more than could be imagined for the people.
The nation would become an exporting nation. From there, they would build material wealth of other kinds. Eventually, it would again be like the time of Solomon’s rule –
“And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” 1 Kings 4:25
As a practical example of this precept, right from their own history, this is recorded in 2 Chronicles 31 –
“Moreover he commanded the people who dwelt in Jerusalem to contribute support for the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the Law of the Lord.”
…
“And Azariah the chief priest, from the house of Zadok, answered him and said, “Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the Lord, we have had enough to eat and have plenty left, for the Lord has blessed His people; and what is left is this great abundance.”
2 Chronicles 31:4 & 10
In performing according to His word, Yehovah next makes a further promise to the people…
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Rather than a noun, devourer, it is a verb: v’gaarti lakhem baokhel v’lo yashkhit lakhem eth peri haadamah –
“And rebuked to you in ‘the eating,’
And no ruins to you fruit the ground.”
The verbal participle preceded by the definite article, the eating, gives the sense of a lively and voracious foe, eating up all of the livelihood of the people. The words are reminiscent of Joel 1 where various locusts are said to have devoured the land.
Whether a locust, caterpillar, worm, aphid or whatever else could devour the fruit, the Lord would rebuke it and keep it from doing so. The words of this verse are the opposite of what was seen in Malachi 2:3 –
2:3 (to the priests) – Behold Me! Rebuking [gaar] to your “the seed,”
3:11 (to the nation) – And rebuked [gaar] to you in the eating,
The seed of the ground, reflected in the tithes to the priests, was rebuked by the Lord because of their faithless conduct. However, if they would rightly instruct the people, the people would then act appropriately, and the Lord would rebuke the means by which the seed was rebuked, meaning “the eating.” These things are based on the execration said prior to the rebuke –
2:2 (to the priests) “And sent in you the execration.
(And execrated your blessings.)
And also execrated it.”
3:9 (to the nation) In the execration, you execrated.
And Me you defrauding,
The nation – it all.
The Levites and priests were sent the execration by which their blessings were execrated. This was because the people were not providing the tithe to the priests and Levites according to the law. But that was because “the eating” was eating all the people’s efforts, and the heavens were withholding the rains.
The entire nation was failing to honor the Lord and misfortune came upon all because of it. There was a cycle from which the people could seemingly not get free because all were failing. However, the primary failure was that the law was not being upheld, first and foremost, by the priests and Levites, and then by the people who were not being rightly instructed by the priests and Levites.
Despite this, if the people would be willing to honor the Lord by upholding the law, He would favor them. He would rebuke “the eating” to not ruin the fruit of the ground…
11 (con’t) Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
v’lo t’shakel lakhem ha’gephen basadeh amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –
“‘And no miscarries to you the vine in the field,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
The meaning is that each blossom would pollinate and bud into fruit, and each fruit would come to full maturity, thus the clusters of grapes would be full and abundant.
The vine produces grapes. They, in turn, produce juice, wine, raisins, and so forth. The people would receive the abundance of the blessings of the Lord through obedience to the system of tithing that was set up to ultimately glorify Him.
The widows, orphans, and strangers would be tended to, the stewards of the law would receive the Lord’s portion (meaning their wages from the tithes), and the Lord would be glorified through this harmoniously working machine set forth in the law.
By stepping back and looking at what is going on, one can see the pattern whereby God is glorified. However, sin in man makes this impossible beyond the most temporary of instances. And so, what man needs is grace from God’s intervention into this system in order to complete and fulfill what man cannot do.
The priests are the mediators. The Levites take the place of the firstborn of each family. The people comprise the nation. It is responsible to fulfill the requirements of the law in order to be pleasing to God. Each had failed, and each did so continuously.
The Lord is showing, through Malachi, that something else – something greater – is needed to restore the nation to God in the fullest sense of the word. That something is a Someone – Jesus.
He is the perfect Mediator, God’s Firstborn, and the true Israel who strives with God to fulfill His perfect will through perfect obedience to the law set forth by Him. The lesson of Israel is that all of the promised blessings will only find their fullest realization through the coming of the Messiah.
Israel could only be a shadowy, failing image of what God expects of His people. But in Christ, the blessings of God can be poured out on mankind in a way that we cannot yet even imagine. Israel failed to see this and lost its way. At the same time, the Gentiles have embraced what God is doing through Jesus.
In Him is the hope of complete and eternal restoration with God. It will take many ills and woes for Israel to realize this and to finally accept Jesus’ full, final, finished, and forever work.
As for Israel, the ideal is set forth, even if it is actually unattainable. But it is promised nonetheless…
*12 (fin) “And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
v’ishru etkhem kal hagoyim ki tihyu atem erets khephets amar Y’hovah ts’vaoth –
“‘And straightened you, all the nations,
For become you land desirable.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
The verb ashar means to be or go straight. In turn, that can signify to go forward, advance, etc. The sense is that the nations will look to Israel as the role model for right living, happiness, prosperity, etc. It is what America has been for some time, where everyone wants to emulate the lifestyle, culture, and so forth that America displays.
This is promised to Israel if they will simply heed the word of the Lord, do as He has instructed, and conform themselves to His will as a nation. In doing so, they, represented by the land (the pronoun is plural), will be desirable.
The words of this and the surrounding verses are like those of Zechariah 8 –
“For the seed shall be prosperous,
The vine shall give its fruit,
The ground shall give her increase,
And the heavens shall give their dew—
I will cause the remnant of this people
To possess all these.
13 And it shall come to pass
That just as you were a curse among the nations,
O house of Judah and house of Israel,
So I will save you, and you shall be a blessing.
Do not fear,
Let your hands be strong.” Zechariah 8:12, 13
As for these promises, they always came about when the people did as the Lord said, but Israel never continued. Like America today, prosperity leads to lethargy towards the Lord, greediness in the hearts of the people, impatience with those less fortunate, and so forth.
Israel continued on her walk toward the coming of Christ, but she stumbled as she went. When He came, He offered a new direction. Instead of blessings turning into curses, He offered a state of abundance and joy that could never be taken from them again.
However, the gospels and Acts reveal how the nation turned from Him, refused the Lord’s offer of peace through Him, and shunned the New Covenant that came through His shed blood. In rejecting this offer, they remain bound to the Mosaic Law, and they stand condemned before the infinitely holy Creator God.
This doesn’t mean, however, that the offer of the New Covenant has been retracted from them. Paul clearly and carefully explains this in Romans 11, which tells us that at a certain point, when the fullness of the Gentiles has been brought into His salvation, Israel’s blindness will end.
This is not a misunderstanding of Paul’s words. Rather, it is exactly what both testaments of Scripture proclaim. Israel was given the law to be God’s witness to the world that the law is merely a tool, a steppingstone to the fulness of what God is doing.
Israel’s failures, each one of them, witness to their need for Jesus. A success, if it is temporary, is only a temporary success. It is not a permanent fix. With Jesus, the fix is permanent. The temporary successes of Israel are comingled with their constant failures.
This record of their history, then, is a tool of instruction to lead man to see his need for Jesus. Paul explains this in Galatians 3. We will see that as we close out today. Anyone who can’t see the utter futility of life under the law is not looking very hard.
Malachi is summing up what was seen right on the first pages of man’s recorded history. Man was given law, man failed at keeping the law, and man was exiled from God. Israel was given the law, Israel failed to keep the law, and Israel has been exiled from God.
But with Jesus, that is all changed. He was born under the law, He kept the law without failing in the slightest precept, and He was therefore brought close to God, serving at His right hand. Jesus! It is all about Jesus. If you are looking for the desirable land that God offers, you must come through Him to obtain it.
There is no end-around or work-around. Rather, Jesus has done the work. He is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Again, He has done the work! He has fulfilled the roles set forth in Israel. Jesus alone has prevailed. So come to God through Him and that wonderful, desirable land you long for will be waiting. All hail the name of Jesus!
Closing Verse: Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. Galatians 3:21-25
Next Week: Malachi 3:13-18 When you do right, cast aside all your fears... (And Hearkens, Yehovah, and Hears) (9th Malachi Sermon)
The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. He has sent His Messenger to carry the good news to all people. Jesus! God promised, and God delivered. The time of the law has ended, and grace has come. Praise God for Jesus.
Malachi 3:7-12
7 To from days your fathers,
Veered from My enactments,
And not guarded.
Return unto Me,
And I am returning unto you.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
“‘And said, “In what returning?’”
8 “‘Defrauds man God?
For you defrauding Me.
And say, “In what defrauding You?”
‘The tithe and the oblation.
9 In the execration, you execrated.
And Me you defrauding,
The nation – it all.
10 Bring all the tithe unto house the depository,
And there shall be fragment in My house.
And Me test in this.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
“‘If not open to you windows the heavens,
And emptied to you blessing until failure sufficiency.
11 And rebuked to you in ‘the eating,’
And no ruins to you fruit the ground,
And no miscarries to you the vine in the field,’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
12 “‘And straightened you, all the nations,
For become you land desirable.’
Said Yehovah Sabaoth.”
NKJVYet from the days of your fathers
You have gone away from My ordinances
And have not kept them.
Return to Me, and I will return to you,”
Says the Lord of hosts.
“But you said,
‘In what way shall we return?’
8 “Will a man rob God?
Yet you have robbed Me!
But you say,
‘In what way have we robbed You?’
In tithes and offerings.
9 You are cursed with a curse,
For you have robbed Me,
Even this whole nation.
10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse,
That there may be food in My house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you the windows of heaven
And pour out for you such blessing
That there will not be room enough to receive it.
11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes,
So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground,
Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,”
Says the Lord of hosts;
12 “And all nations will call you blessed,
For you will be a delightful land,”
Says the Lord of hosts.