Malachi 1:2
Good News Translation
The LORD says to his people, "I have always loved you." But they reply, "How have you shown your love for us?" The LORD answers, "Esau and Jacob were brothers, but I have loved Jacob and his descendants,

New Revised Standard Version
I have loved you, says the LORD. But you say, “How have you loved us?” Is not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the LORD. Yet I have loved Jacob

Contemporary English Version
Israel, I, the LORD, have loved you. And yet you ask in what way have I loved you. Don't forget that Esau was the brother of your ancestor Jacob, but I chose Jacob

New American Bible
I love you, says the LORD; but you say, “How do you love us?”

Douay-Rheims Bible
I have loved you, saith the Lord: and you have said: Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau brother to Jacob, saith the Lord, and I have loved Jacob,

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

I have loved you, saith the Lord: and you have said: Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau brother to Jacob, saith the Lord, and I have loved Jacob,

I have.

Malachi 1:2-5 I have loved you, saith the Lord: and you have said: Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau brother to Jacob, saith the Lord, and I have loved Jacob, . . .

) how much Jacob and the Israelites were favoured by Jehovah, more than Esau and the Edomites. Through every period of the history of Jacob's posterity, they could not deny that God had remarkably appeared on their behalf; but he had rendered the heritage of Esau's descendants, by wars and various other means, barren and waste for ever.

Deuteronomy 7:6-8 Because thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God hath chosen thee, to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are upon the earth. . . .

Deuteronomy 10:15 And yet the Lord hath been closely joined to thy fathers, and loved them and chose their seed after them, that is to say, you, out of all nations, as this day it is proved.

Deuteronomy 32:8-14 When the Most High divided the nations: when he separated the sons of Adam, he appointed the bounds of people according to the number of the children of Israel. . . .

Isaiah 41:8,9 But thou Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend: . . .

Isaiah 43:4 Since thou becamest honourable in my eyes, thou art glorious: I have loved thee, and I will give men for thee, and people for thy life.

Jeremiah 31:3 The Lord hath appeared from afar to me. Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee.

Romans 11:28,29 As concerning the gospel, indeed, they are enemies for your sake: but as touching the election, they are most dear for the sake of the fathers. . . .

Wherein.

Malachi 1:6,7 The son honoureth the father, and the servant his master: if then I be a father, where is my honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear: saith the Lord of hosts. . . .

Malachi 2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words, and you said: Wherein have we wearied him? In that you say: Every one that doth evil, is good in the sight of the Lord, and such please him: or surely where is the God of judgment?

Malachi 3:7,8,13,14 For from the days of your fathers you have departed from my ordinances, and have not kept them: Return to me, and I will return to you, saith the Lord of hosts. And you have said: Wherein shall we return? . . .

Jeremiah 2:5,31 Thus saith the Lord: What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? . . .

Luke 10:29 But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?

yet I.

Genesis 25:23 And he answering, said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

Genesis 27:27-30,33 He came near, and kissed him. And immediately as he smelled the fragrant smell of his garments, blessing him, he said: Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a plentiful field, which the Lord hath blessed. . . .

Genesis 28:3,4,13,14 And God almighty bless thee, and make thee to increase and multiply thee: that thou mayst be a multitude of people. . . .

Genesis 32:28-30 But he said: Thy name shall not be called Jacob, but Israel; for if thou hast been strong against God, how much more shalt thou prevail against men? . . .

Genesis 48:4 And said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

Romans 9:10-13 And not only she. But when Rebecca also had conceived at once of Isaac our father. . . .

Context
The LORD's Love for Israel
1The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the hand of Malachi. 2I have loved you, saith the Lord: and you have said: Wherein hast thou loved us? Was not Esau brother to Jacob, saith the Lord, and I have loved Jacob,3But have hated Esau? and I have made his mountains a wilderness, and given his inheritance to the dragons of the desert.…
Cross References
John 15:12
This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

Romans 9:13
As it is written: Jacob I have loved: but Esau I have hated.

Genesis 25:23
And he answering, said: Two nations are in thy womb, and two peoples shall be divided out of thy womb, and one people shall overcome the other, and the elder shall serve the younger.

Deuteronomy 4:37
Because he loved thy fathers, and chose their seed after them. And he brought thee out of Egypt, going before thee with his great power,

Deuteronomy 7:8
But because the Lord hath loved you, and hath kept his oath, which he swore to your fathers: and hath brought you out with a strong hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, out of the hand of Pharao the king of Egypt.

Deuteronomy 23:5
And the Lord thy God would not hear Balaam, and he turned his cursing into thy blessing, because he loved thee.

Deuteronomy 33:3
He hath loved the people, all the saints are in his hand: and they that approach to his feet, shall receive of his doctrine.

Isaiah 41:8
But thou Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend:

Isaiah 41:9
In whom I have taken thee from the ends of the earth, and from the remote parts thereof have called thee, and said to thee: Thou art my servant, I have chosen thee, and have not cast thee away.

Isaiah 63:1
Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bosra, this beautiful one in his robe, walking in the greatness of his strength. I, that speak justice, and am a defender to save.

Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord hath appeared from afar to me. Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee.

Amos 1:11
Thus saith the Lord: For three crimes of Edom, and for four I will not convert him: because he hath pursued his brother with the sword, and hath carried on his fury, and hath kept his wrath to the end.

Malachi 1:1
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