2
1 “Now,
you priests, this
commandment is for
you.
2 If
you will not
listen, and if
you will not
take it to
heart, to give
glory to my
name,” says the
LORD of Armies, “then
I will send
the curse on
you, and I
will curse your
blessings. Indeed,
I have cursed
them already, because
you do not
take it to
heart.
3 Behold,
I will rebuke
your offspring,
and will spread
dung on your
faces, even the
dung of your
feasts; and you
will be taken
away with it.
4 You
will know that
I have sent
this commandment
to you, that
my covenant may
be with Levi,” says
the LORD of
Armies.
5 “My
covenant was with
him of life
and peace; and
I gave them
to him that
he might
be reverent toward
me; and he
was reverent toward
me, and stood
in awe of
my name.
6 The
law of truth
was in his
mouth, and
unrighteousness was
not found in
his lips. He
walked with me
in peace and
uprightness, and
turned many away
from iniquity.
7 For
the priest’s lips
should keep
knowledge, and
they should seek
the law at
his mouth; for
he is the
messenger of the
LORD of Armies.
8 But
you have turned
away from the
path. You
have caused many
to stumble in
the law. You
have corrupted the
covenant of Levi,”
says the LORD of
Armies.
9 “Therefore
I have also
made you contemptible
and wicked before
all the people,
according to the
way you have
not kept my
ways, but have
had respect for
persons in the
law.
10 Don’t we
all have
one father? Hasn’t one
God created us?
Why do we deal
treacherously every man
against his brother,
profaning the
covenant of
our fathers?
11 Judah
has dealt treacherously,
and an abomination
is committed in
Israel and in
Jerusalem; for
Judah has profaned
the holiness of
the LORD which
he loves, and has
married the
daughter of a
foreign god.
12 The
LORD will cut
off the man
who does this,
him who wakes and
him who answers,
out of the tents
of Jacob and
him who offers an
offering to the
LORD of Armies.
13 “This
again you do:
you cover the
LORD’s altar with
tears, with
weeping, and
with sighing, because
he doesn’t regard
the offering any
more, neither receives
it with good
will at your
hand.
14 Yet
you say, ‘Why?’
Because the LORD
has been witness
between you and
the wife of your
youth, against
whom you have dealt
treacherously, though she
is your companion
and the wife of
your covenant.
15 Did
he not make
you one, although
he had the
residue of the
Spirit? Why one?
He sought godly
offspring. Therefore
take heed to
your spirit, and
let no one
deal treacherously against
the wife of his
youth.
16 One
who hates and
divorces”, says the
LORD, the God
of Israel, “covers
his garment with
violence!” says the
LORD of Armies. “Therefore
pay attention to
your spirit, that
you don’t be unfaithful.
17 You
have wearied the
LORD with your
words. Yet you
say, ‘How have
we wearied him?’
In that you
say, ‘Everyone who
does evil is
good in the
LORD’s sight, and
he delights in
them;’ or ‘Where
is the God
of justice?’