1
And now, O ye priests, this commandment is against▵ you.
2
If you will not hear, and if you will not set it to heart, to give glory to My name, says Jehovah of Armies, then I will send a curse among◦ you, and I will curse your blessings; and I have even cursed them, for none of you set it to heart.
3
Behold, I will rebuke your seed, and spread* dung on your faces, the dung of your festivals; and one shall carry you away with it.
4
And you shall know that I have sent this commandment against▵ you, that My covenant might be with◦ Levi, says Jehovah of Armies.
5
My covenant was with◦ him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear with which he feared Me, and he◦ was dismayed before My name.
6
The law of truth was in his mouth, and perversity was· not ·found in his lips; he walked with◦ Me in peace and in uprightness, and did turn· many ·back from iniquity.
7
For the lips of the priest should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he◦ is the messenger of Jehovah of Armies.
8
But you◦ have turned··aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble in the law; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says Jehovah of Armies.
9
And I◦ also have put◦ you as despised and low to all the people, according as◦ you have not◦ kept My ways, but have accepted faces in the law*.
10
Have we not all one father? Has not one God◦ created us? Wherefore do we act··treacherously, every man◦ against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?
11
Judah has acted··treacherously, and an abomination is done in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of Jehovah, because he loved and married the daughter of a foreign god◦.
12
Jehovah will cut··off from the tents of Jacob the man◦ who does this, the one stirring· it ·up and the one answering, and presenting a gift··offering to Jehovah of Armies.
13
And this you have done a second time, covering the altar of Jehovah with tears, with weeping, and with groaning◦, until He turns· not◦ his ·face to▵ the gift··offering, nor takes it with good··pleasure from your hand.
14
And you say, On· what ·account? On··account··of this, that Jehovah has been··a··witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against◦ whom thou◦ hast acted··treacherously; and she◦ is thy friend, and the wife of thy covenant.
15
And there is not one who does so, and to whom spirit is left. And what is the one seeking the seed of God? But take··heed in your spirit, and let none act··treacherously against◦ the wife of his youth.
16
For Jehovah, the God of Israel, says He hates sending··away*, and him who covers with violence on his clothing, says Jehovah of Armies; but take··heed for your spirit, that you act· not ·treacherously.
17
You have tired Jehovah with your words. Yet you say, In what have we tired Him? When you say, Every one who does evil is good in the eyes of Jehovah, and He◦ delights in them; or, Where◦ is the God of judgment?
