And now, O ye priests, this commandment
is for you.
If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay
it to heart
, to give
glory
unto my name
, saith
the LORD
of hosts
, I will even send
a curse
upon you, and I will curse
your blessings
: yea, I have cursed
them already, because ye do not lay
it to heart
.
Behold, I will corrupt your seed
, and spread
dung
upon your faces
, even the dung
of your solemn feasts
; and one shall take you away
with it.
And ye shall know that I have sent
this commandment
unto you, that my covenant
might be with Levi
, saith
the LORD
of hosts
.
My covenant was with him of life
and peace
; and I gave
them to him for the fear
wherewith he feared
me, and was afraid
before
my name
.
The law of truth
was in his mouth
, and iniquity
was not found
in his lips
: he walked
with me in peace
and equity
, and did turn
many
away
from iniquity
.
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 hosts
.
But ye are departed out of the way
; ye have caused many
to stumble
at the law
; ye have corrupted
the covenant
of Levi
, saith
the LORD
of hosts
.
Therefore have I also made you contemptible
and base
before all the people
, according
as ye have not kept
my ways
, but have been partial
in the law
.
Have we not all one father
? hath not one
God
created
us? why do we deal treacherously
every man
against his brother
, by profaning
the covenant
of our fathers
?
Judah hath dealt treacherously
, and an abomination
is committed
in Israel
and in Jerusalem
; for Judah
hath profaned
the holiness
of the LORD
which he loved
, and hath married
the daughter
of a strange
god
.
The LORD will cut off
the man
that doeth
this, the master
and the scholar
, out of the tabernacles
of Jacob
, and him that offereth
an offering
unto the LORD
of hosts
.
And this have ye done again
, covering
the altar
of the LORD
with tears
, with weeping
, and with crying out
, insomuch that he regardeth
not the offering
any more, or receiveth
it with good will
at your hand
.
Yet ye say, Wherefore
? Because the LORD
hath been witness
between thee and the wife
of thy youth
, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously
: yet is she thy companion
, and the wife
of thy covenant
.
And did not he make one
? Yet had he the residue
of the spirit
. And wherefore one
? That he might seek
a godly
seed
. Therefore take heed
to your spirit
, and let none deal treacherously
against the wife
of his youth
.
For the LORD, the God
of Israel
, saith
that he hateth
putting away
: for one covereth
violence
with his garment
, saith
the LORD
of hosts
: therefore take heed
to your spirit
, that ye deal not treacherously
.
Ye have wearied the LORD
with your words
. Yet ye say
, Wherein have we wearied
him ? When ye say
, Every one that doeth
evil
is good
in the sight
of the LORD
, and he delighteth
in them; or, Where is the God
of judgment
?