Malachi 1:12

have profaned Rather, profane, R.V. lit. are (habitually) profaning.

the table of the Lord&c. The reference is to the maintenance of the priests by their share in the sacrifices. After allowing unworthy sacrifices to be offered (Malachi 1:8), they complained that their service at the altar was inadequately remunerated, and murmured at their allotted portion as "contemptible". The expression, "the fruit thereof," is very doubtful. The word occurs again (K'ri) Isaiah 57:19, but there the K'thibh is נוב. Probably it should be omitted here altogether. The mistake may have arisen from a scribe beginning to write וניב instead of ונבזה. Then he put dots over the first word וֹנֹיֹבֹ to denote that it was to be cancelled, but this was overlooked. Jerome explains it of the fire on the altar, taking also אכלו as a verb, -cum igne qui illud devorat," which of course is wrong. The LXX render it τὰ ἐπιτιθέμενα αὐτῷ.