祭司們啊,這誡命是傳給你們的。 萬軍之耶和華說:「如果你們不聽從我的話,也不從內心尊崇我的名,我必使咒詛臨到你們,把你們的福氣變成咒詛。事實上,因為你們不把我的誡命放在心上,我已經咒詛了你們。 我必斥責你們的子孫,把你們祭牲的糞便抹在你們臉上,又把你們和糞便一同丟掉, 你們便知道我這樣告誡你們,是為了維持我與你們祖先利未所立的約。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 我與他所立的是生命和平安之約,我將生命和平安賜給他,使他心存敬畏。他就尊崇我,敬畏我的名。 他口中教導真理,嘴裡毫無詭詐。他與我同行,過著平安正直的生活,並引導許多人遠離罪惡。 祭司的嘴唇應持守知識,人民應從他口中尋求訓誨,因為他是萬軍之耶和華的使者。 然而,你們卻偏離正道,你們的教導使許多人跌倒,破壞了我和利未所立的約。」這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 「因此,我必使你們在眾人面前遭藐視、輕賤。因為你們不遵守我的道,在教導上偏心待人。」

10 難道我們不是出於同一位父親,由同一位上帝所造嗎?為何我們竟彼此欺騙,背棄上帝與我們祖先所立的約呢? 11 猶大人不忠貞,在以色列和耶路撒冷做了可憎的事,他們娶信奉外邦神明的女子為妻,褻瀆了耶和華所愛的聖所。 12 願耶和華從雅各的帳篷中剷除所有做這事並獻供物給萬軍之耶和華的人!

13 另外,你們哀哭悲歎,眼淚甚至淹沒了耶和華的祭壇,因為耶和華不再理會你們的供物,不再悅納你們所獻的。 14 你們還問為什麼。因為耶和華在你和你的髮妻中間作證,她是你的配偶,是你盟約的妻子,你卻對她不忠。 15 上帝不是把你們結合為一體,叫你們肉體和心靈都歸祂嗎[a]?祂為何這樣做?是為了得敬虔的後裔。所以,你們要小心謹慎,不可對自己的髮妻不忠。 16 以色列的上帝耶和華說:「我憎惡休妻和以暴虐待妻子的人。所以要守護你們的心,不可有不忠的行為。」這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 17 你們說的話使耶和華厭煩,然而,你們還說:「我們在何事上令祂厭煩呢?」因為你們說:「耶和華將所有作惡者視為好人,並且喜悅他們」,還說:「公義的上帝在哪裡?」

Footnotes

  1. 2·15 此句希伯來文語意不清。

“And so then, O priests, this command is for you: If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart[a] to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of hosts, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings; moreover I have already cursed them because you are not taking it to heart.[b] Look! I am going to rebuke your offspring,[c] and I will scatter offal on your faces, the offal of your religious feasts, and you will be carried to it.[d]

“Then you will know that I have sent to you this command, that my covenant with Levi continues,”[e] says Yahweh of hosts. “My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. This required reverence, and he revered[f] me and stood in awe before[g] my name. The instruction of truth[h] was in his mouth, and wickedness was not found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness[i] he walked with me, and he brought back many from sin.[j] For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and they should seek instruction[k] from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts. But you, you have turned from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction;[l] you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. “And in turn I have made you despised and humbled before all the people, inasmuch as you are not keeping[m] my way, but are favoring your own instruction.”[n]

Yahweh Hates Faithlessness

10 Do we not all have[o] one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we unfaithful to one another,[p] profaning the covenant of our ancestors?[q] 11 Judah has been faithless, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the sanctuary of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign[r] god. 12 May Yahweh cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, the one who is awake and who answers, and the one who brings an offering to Yahweh of hosts!

13 And this you do as well:[s] you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because he[t] no longer regards the offering[u] or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 But you ask, “For what reason?”[v] Because Yahweh stands as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have been unfaithful, even though she is your marriage partner and your wife by covenant.[w] 15 Did not one God make them?[x] But a remnant of the spirit is his.[y] And what does the one God desire? An offspring of God.[z] You must be attentive to[aa] your spirit, and you must not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16 “For I hate divorce,”[ab] says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and he who covers his clothing with violence,” says Yahweh of hosts. “You must be attentive to[ac] your spirit and you must not be unfaithful.”

17 You have wearied Yahweh with your words, but you ask, “With what have we wearied him?” You have done so when you say,[ad] “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight[ae] of Yahweh, and in them he delights,” or “Where is the God of justice?”

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:2 Literally, “place it on your heart”
  2. Malachi 2:2 Literally “you are not placing it on your heart”
  3. Malachi 2:3 Literally “for you the offspring”
  4. Malachi 2:3 The Hebrew is difficult. The subject is indefinite, and “it” likely refers to a refuse or waste pile
  5. Malachi 2:4 Literally “be”
  6. Malachi 2:5 Or “feared”
  7. Malachi 2:5 Literally “from the face of”
  8. Malachi 2:6 Or “law of truth”
  9. Malachi 2:6 Or “rectitude,” or “fairness”
  10. Malachi 2:6 Or “iniquity”
  11. Malachi 2:7 Or “law”
  12. Malachi 2:8 Or “the law”
  13. Malachi 2:9 Or “observing”
  14. Malachi 2:9 Literally “lifting faces in the instruction/law”
  15. Malachi 2:10 Literally “Is for all of us not”
  16. Malachi 2:10 Literally “each man to his brother”
  17. Malachi 2:10 Or “fathers”
  18. Malachi 2:11 Or “pagan”
  19. Malachi 2:13 Literally “a second time”
  20. Malachi 2:13 Yahweh
  21. Malachi 2:13 Literally “there is no longer turning to the offering”
  22. Malachi 2:14 Literally “Because of what?”
  23. Malachi 2:14 Literally “the wife of your covenant”
  24. Malachi 2:15 Literally “Not one did he make”
  25. Malachi 2:15 The meaning of this sentence is difficult; literally “And a remnant of the spirit to him”
  26. Malachi 2:15 Or “a godly offspring”
  27. Malachi 2:15 Literally “You must keep watch on”
  28. Malachi 2:16 Hebrew “sending away”
  29. Malachi 2:16 Literally “You must keep watch on”
  30. Malachi 2:17 Literally “at your saying”
  31. Malachi 2:17 Literally “eyes”

Additional Warning to the Priests

“And now, you priests, this warning is for you.(A) If you do not listen,(B) and if you do not resolve to honor(C) my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse(D) on you, and I will curse your blessings.(E) Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.

“Because of you I will rebuke your descendants[a]; I will smear on your faces the dung(F) from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it.(G) And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi(H) may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. “My covenant was with him, a covenant(I) of life and peace,(J) and I gave them to him; this called for reverence(K) and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction(L) was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked(M) with me in peace(N) and uprightness,(O) and turned many from sin.(P)

“For the lips of a priest(Q) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger(R) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.(S) But you have turned from the way(T) and by your teaching have caused many to stumble;(U) you have violated the covenant(V) with Levi,”(W) says the Lord Almighty. “So I have caused you to be despised(X) and humiliated(Y) before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality(Z) in matters of the law.”(AA)

Breaking Covenant Through Divorce

10 Do we not all have one Father[b]?(AB) Did not one God create us?(AC) Why do we profane the covenant(AD) of our ancestors by being unfaithful(AE) to one another?

11 Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable(AF) thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves(AG) by marrying(AH) women who worship a foreign god.(AI) 12 As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove(AJ) him from the tents of Jacob[c](AK)—even though he brings an offering(AL) to the Lord Almighty.

13 Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears.(AM) You weep and wail(AN) because he no longer looks with favor(AO) on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.(AP) 14 You ask,(AQ) “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness(AR) between you and the wife of your youth.(AS) You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.(AT)

15 Has not the one God made you?(AU) You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.[d](AV) So be on your guard,(AW) and do not be unfaithful(AX) to the wife of your youth.

16 “The man who hates and divorces his wife,(AY)” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”[e](AZ) says the Lord Almighty.

So be on your guard,(BA) and do not be unfaithful.

Breaking Covenant Through Injustice

17 You have wearied(BB) the Lord with your words.

“How have we wearied him?” you ask.(BC)

By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased(BD) with them” or “Where is the God of justice?(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:3 Or will blight your grain
  2. Malachi 2:10 Or father
  3. Malachi 2:12 Or 12 May the Lord remove from the tents of Jacob anyone who gives testimony in behalf of the man who does this
  4. Malachi 2:15 The meaning of the Hebrew for the first part of this verse is uncertain.
  5. Malachi 2:16 Or “I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “because the man who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,”

I Will Curse Your Blessings

“And now this commandment is for you, O priests. If you do (A)not listen, and if you do not set it upon your heart to give [a]honor to My name,” says Yahweh of hosts, “then I will send the (B)curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have (C)cursed them already because you are not setting it upon your heart. Behold, I am going to (D)rebuke your seed, and I will (E)spread [b]refuse on your faces, the [c]refuse of your (F)feasts; and you will be taken away [d]with it. Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [e]that My (G)covenant may [f]continue with Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. “My covenant with him was one of life and (H)peace, and I gave them to him as something to be [g]feared; so he (I)feared Me and stood in [h]awe of My name. [i](J)Instruction of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked (K)with Me in peace and uprightness, and he (L)turned many back from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should keep (M)knowledge, and [j]men should (N)seek [k]instruction from his mouth; for he is the (O)messenger of Yahweh of hosts. But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to (P)stumble [l]by the instruction; you have [m](Q)corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. “So (R)I also have made you despised and (S)low [n]before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing (T)partiality in the [o]instruction.

Judah Profaned Yahweh’s Sanctuary

10 “Do we not all have (U)one father? (V)Has not one God created us? Why do we deal (W)treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the (X)covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has dealt (Y)treacherously, and an abomination has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has (Z)profaned the sanctuary of Yahweh [p]which He loves and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 As for the man who does this, may (AA)Yahweh cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers or who (AB)presents [q]an offering to Yahweh of hosts.

13 “And this is a second thing you do: you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping, and with groaning because He (AC)no longer regards the [r]offering or receives it as acceptable from your hand. 14 But you say, ‘For what reason?’ Because Yahweh has been a witness between you and the (AD)wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt (AE)treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 [s]But not one has (AF)done so, even one who has a remnant of the Spirit. And [t]what did that one do while he was seeking a (AG)godly seed? Be careful then to keep your spirit, and let no one deal (AH)treacherously against the wife of your youth. 16 For [u]I hate [v](AI)divorce,” says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and [w]him who covers his garment with [x](AJ)wrong,” says Yahweh of hosts. “Be careful then to keep your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.”

17 You have (AK)wearied Yahweh with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied Him?” In that you say, “(AL)Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of Yahweh, and He (AM)delights in them,” or, “(AN)Where is the God of (AO)justice?”

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:2 Or glory
  2. Malachi 2:3 Or vomit
  3. Malachi 2:3 Or vomit
  4. Malachi 2:3 Lit to
  5. Malachi 2:4 Or to be My covenant with
  6. Malachi 2:4 Lit be
  7. Malachi 2:5 Or reverenced
  8. Malachi 2:5 Lit terror
  9. Malachi 2:6 Or Law
  10. Malachi 2:7 Lit they
  11. Malachi 2:7 Or law
  12. Malachi 2:8 Or in the law
  13. Malachi 2:8 Or violated
  14. Malachi 2:9 Lit to
  15. Malachi 2:9 Or law
  16. Malachi 2:11 Or in that He has loved and married
  17. Malachi 2:12 Or a grain offering
  18. Malachi 2:13 Or grain offering
  19. Malachi 2:15 Or Did He not make one, although He had the remnant
  20. Malachi 2:15 Or why one? He sought a godly offspring.
  21. Malachi 2:16 Lit He hates
  22. Malachi 2:16 Lit sending away
  23. Malachi 2:16 Lit he covers
  24. Malachi 2:16 Or violence

Rules for Priests

“Priests, this rule is for you. Listen to me! Pay attention to what I say. Show honor to my name. If you don’t respect my name, bad things will happen to you. You will say blessings,[a] but they will become curses. I will make bad things happen because you don’t show respect for my name.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.

“Look, I will punish your descendants. During the festivals, you priests offer sacrifices to me. You take the dung and inside parts from the dead animals and throw them away. But I will smear the dung on your faces, and you will be thrown away with it! Then you will learn why I am giving you this command. I am telling you these things so that my agreement with Levi will continue.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said.

The Lord said, “I made that agreement with Levi. I promised to give him life and peace—and I gave him those things. Levi respected me and showed honor to my name. He taught the true teachings and didn’t teach lies. Levi was honest, and he loved peace. He followed me and saved many people from being punished for the evil things they did. A priest should know God’s teachings. People should be able to go to a priest and learn God’s teachings. A priest should be the Lord’s messenger to the people.

“But you priests stopped following me! You used the teachings to make people do wrong. You ruined the agreement with Levi.” This is what the Lord All-Powerful said. “You don’t live the way I told you. You have not accepted my teachings. So I will cause people to hate you and think you are worth nothing.”

Judah Was Not True to God

10 We all have the same father. The same God made every one of us. So why do people cheat one another? They show that they don’t respect the agreement. They don’t respect the agreement that our ancestors made with God. 11 The people of Judah cheated other people. People in Jerusalem and Israel did terrible things. God loves the Temple, but the people in Judah didn’t respect the Lord’s holy Temple. The people of Judah began to worship a foreign goddess. 12 The Lord will remove them from Judah’s family. They might bring gifts to the Lord All-Powerful—but it will not help. 13 You can cry and cover the Lord’s altar with tears, but the Lord will not accept your gifts. He will not be pleased with the things you bring to him.

14 You ask, “Why are our gifts not accepted?” It is because the Lord saw the evil things you did—he is a witness against you. He saw you cheat on your wife. You have been married to her since you were young. She was your girlfriend. Then you made your vows to each other—and she became your wife. 15 God wants husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit. Why? So that they would have holy children and protect that spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife. She has been your wife from the time you were young.

16 The Lord, the God of Israel, says, “I hate divorce, and I hate the cruel things that men do. So protect your spiritual unity. Don’t cheat on your wife.”

The Special Time of Judgment

17 You have taught wrong things, and it makes the Lord very sad. People were doing evil things, but you said that this pleased the Lord and that he accepted those things. And you taught that God does not punish people for the evil they do.

Footnotes

  1. Malachi 2:2 blessings Words asking for good things to happen to a person who tries to obey God’s law.