9. You are indeed accursed,for you, the whole nation, rob me.
10. Bring the whole titheinto the storehouse,That there may be food in my house.Put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts,And see if I do not open the floodgates of heaven for you,and pour down upon you blessing without measure!
11. I will rebuke the locust for youso that it will not destroy your crops,And the vine in the field will not be barren,says the Lord of hosts.
12. All the nations will call you blessed,for you will be a delightful land,says the Lord of hosts.
13. Your words are too much for me, says the Lord.You ask, “What have we spoken against you?”
14. You have said, “It is useless to serve God;what do we gain by observing God’s requirements,And by going about as mournersbefore the Lord of hosts?
15. But we call the arrogant blessed;for evildoers not only prosperbut even test God and escape.”
16. Then those who fear the Lord spoke with one another,and the Lord listened attentively;A record book was written before himof those who fear the Lord and esteem his name.
17. They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts,my own special possession, on the day when I take action.And I will have compassion on them,as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.