“But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.”
The condemnation extends to the entire community: even those with legitimate animals in their flocks prove unfaithful by withholding them from God in favor of lesser offerings. The phrase 'a male among his flock' emphasizes that the best is available but withheld, transforming the defiled offerings into willful choices rather than poverty. The formula 'I am a great King' and 'my name is terrible among the nations' reasserts divine majesty and covenant lordship, anchoring judgment in the reality that covenant obligations flow from God's transcendent status. The closing curse—'Cursed is the deceiver'—pronounces judgment on those who make vows then fail to honor them, establishing the covenantal principle that promises to God are binding.
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