1:8a
blind animals: This was one category of animal which the LORD forbade the people to bring him as a sacrifice. See Leviticus 22:22.
1:8b, d
is it not wrong?: That is, “is there nothing wrong in doing that?” This is a rhetorical question which expresses the LORD’s strong indignation. If you use rhetorical questions for such purposes in your language, use one in both 1:8b and 1:8d. However if a rhetorical question would not be appropriate, you can use a statement in both places. See 1:8b and 1:8d in the Display for examples of both.
1:8c
the lame and sick ones: These too were categories of animals which the LORD forbade the people to bring him as sacrifices. See Leviticus 22:22.
1:8e
Try offering them: That is, offer that sort of animal.
governor: A governor is usually different from a chief or king in that he is an official appointed to administer a certain region. A governor often represents a foreign power that is ruling the country by force. See Nehemiah 5:14–15.
1:8f–g
This is another set of parallel rhetorical questions. They expect the answer “no.” Here the LORD was asserting something that the people knew was true: that an earthly ruler would not be pleased with an imperfect offering. Use the appropriate grammatical form in your language to show this in both of these parts of the verse.
1:8h
asks the LORD of Hosts: See the note on 1:6e.
the LORD of Hosts: See the note on 1:4d and 1:6e. Translate this term in the same way here.
General Comment on 1:8a–h
There are further examples of doublets and rhetorical questions in this verse, showing the strong emotion:
8a When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, 8b is it not wrong?
8c And when you present the lame and sick ones, 8d is it not wrong?
8f…Would he be pleased with you
8g or show you favor ?
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