Here Yahweh uses a question to rebuke the people. AT: "You know very well that it is evil for you to offer blind animals for sacrifice!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
Here Yahweh uses a question to rebuke the people. AT: "And you know very well that it is evil for you to offer lame and sick animals!" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
Here Yahweh gives a command in order to express a conditional idea. AT: "If you present that to your governor," (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-imperative]])
# Will he accept you or will he lift up your face?
Here Yahweh asks this question in order to remind the people that their governor would never accept defective animals from them. AT: "If you do those things, you know that the governor will not accept you. He will not lift up your face." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]])
Lifting up someone's face refers to accepting him with favor. AT: "will he accept you with favor" or "will he agree to help you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
# Now you keep asking the face of God, that he may be gracious to us
Malachi is no longer speaking for God. He is talking directly to the Israelites; he is criticizing them for daring to think that God will have mercy on them.
# keep asking the face of God
Here "face" stands for God and also for his presence. AT: "keep asking God in his presence" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]])
# with such an offering in your hand, would he lift up any of your faces?
Here Yahweh is asking a question in order to make a statement of rebuke. AT: "if you offer unacceptable offerings, he will certainly not lift up your faces." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-rquestion]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
Lifting up someone's face refers to accepting him with favor. AT: "would he accept any of you with favor" or "would he agree to help any of you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])