The Meaning of Malachi 1:4 Explained

Malachi 1:4

KJV: Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

YLT: Because Edom saith, 'We have been made poor, And we turn back and we build the wastes,' Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: They do build, and I do destroy, And men have called to them, 'O region of wickedness,' 'O people whom Jehovah defied to the age.'

Darby: If Edom say, We are broken down, but we will build again the ruined places, thus saith Jehovah of hosts: They shall build, but I will throw down; and men shall call them the territory of wickedness, and the people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever.

ASV: Whereas Edom saith, We are beaten down, but we will return and build the waste places; thus saith Jehovah of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and men shall call them The border of wickedness, and The people against whom Jehovah hath indignation for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Whereas Edom  saith,  We are impoverished,  but we will return  and build  the desolate places;  thus saith  the LORD  of hosts,  They shall build,  but I will throw down;  and they shall call  them, The border  of wickedness,  and, The people  against whom the LORD  hath indignation  for  ever. 

What does Malachi 1:4 Mean?

Study Notes

Edom
i.e. Esau's descendants. See Genesis 25:30 .

Verse Meaning

Even though the Edomites, Esau"s descendants, determined to rebuild their nation after it had suffered destruction by the Babylonians, they would not be able to do so. They could not because almighty Yahweh would not permit it. He would tear down whatever they rebuilt, so much so that other people would view them as a wicked land (cf. the holy land, Zechariah 2:12) and the objects of Yahweh"s perpetual indignation. The "holy" land was holy, sanctified, because God set it apart for special blessing, as He had the nation of Israel. Edom, on the other hand, was wicked because God had not set it apart for special blessing.
"Israel needed to consider what her lot would have been if she, like Edom, had not been elected to a covenant relationship with Yahweh. Both Israel and Edom received judgment from God at the hands of the Babylonians in the sixth century ( Jeremiah 27:2-8). Yet God repeatedly promised to restore Israel (because of His covenant promises, Deuteronomy 4:29-31; Deuteronomy 30:1-10), but He condemned Edom to complete destruction, never to be restored ( Jeremiah 49:7-22; Ezekiel 35)." [1]
"The Judeans had Persian permission and support in their rebuilding campaign ( Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 4:3; Ezra 6:1-15; Ezra 7:11-28; Nehemiah 2:7-9; Nehemiah 13:6). That was God"s doing. The Edomites had no such help, which was also God"s doing and which sealed Edom"s fate as a people forever." [2]

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 1:4 mean?

Even though has said Edom we have been impoverished but we will return and build the desolate places thus says Yahweh of hosts they may build but I will throw down and they shall be called to them the Territory of Wickedness and the people against whom will have indignation forever ever
כִּֽי־ תֹאמַ֨ר אֱד֜וֹם רֻשַּׁ֗שְׁנוּ וְנָשׁוּב֙ וְנִבְנֶ֣ה חֳרָב֔וֹת כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הֵ֥מָּה יִבְנ֖וּ וַאֲנִ֣י אֶהֱר֑וֹס וְקָרְא֤וּ לָהֶם֙ גְּב֣וּל רִשְׁעָ֔ה וְהָעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־ זָעַ֥ם עַד־ עוֹלָֽם

כִּֽי־  Even  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תֹאמַ֨ר  has  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱד֜וֹם  Edom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱדֹום 
Sense: Edom.
רֻשַּׁ֗שְׁנוּ  we  have  been  impoverished 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: רָשַׁשׁ  
Sense: to beat down, shatter.
וְנָשׁוּב֙  but  we  will  return 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
וְנִבְנֶ֣ה  and  build 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, first person common plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
חֳרָב֔וֹת  the  desolate  places 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: חָרְבָּה  
Sense: a place laid waste, ruin, waste, desolation.
כֹּ֤ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
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.
יִבְנ֖וּ  may  build 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
וַאֲנִ֣י  but  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
אֶהֱר֑וֹס  will  throw  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הָרַס  
Sense: to tear down, break down, overthrow, beat down, break, break through, destroy, pluck down, pull down, throw down, ruined, destroyer, utterly.
וְקָרְא֤וּ  and  they  shall  be  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לָהֶם֙  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
גְּב֣וּל  the  Territory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גְּבוּל  
Sense: border, territory.
רִשְׁעָ֔ה  of  Wickedness 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: רִשְׁעָה  
Sense: wickedness, guilt.
וְהָעָ֛ם  and  the  people 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁר־  against  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
זָעַ֥ם  will  have  indignation 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָעַם  
Sense: to denounce, express indignation, be indignant.
עַד־  forever 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עוֹלָֽם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.