Malachi 2
World English Bible
2 “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 Yahweh 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,[a] 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 Yahweh will cut off, to 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 Yahweh of Armies. 13 This again you do: you cover Yahweh’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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh, the God of Israel, “covers his garment with violence!” says Yahweh of Armies. “Therefore pay attention to your spirit, that you don’t be unfaithful. 17 You have wearied Yahweh with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in Yahweh’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’
Footnotes
- 2:3 or, seed
Malachi 2
English Standard Version
The Lord Rebukes the Priests
2 “And now, (A)O priests, (B)this command is for you. 2 (C)If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send (D)the curse upon you and I will curse (E)your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3 Behold, (F)I will rebuke your offspring,[a] and (G)spread dung on your faces, the (H)dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.[b] 4 So shall you know that I have sent (I)this command to you, that (J)my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and (K)peace, and I gave them to him. (L)It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 (M)True instruction[c] was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he (N)turned many from iniquity. 7 For (O)the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people[d] should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. 8 But you have turned aside from the way. (P)You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted (Q)the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9 and so (R)I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but (S)show partiality in your instruction.”
Judah Profaned the Covenant
10 Have we not all (T)one Father? Has not (U)one God created us? Why then are we (V)faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been (W)faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For (X)Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. 12 May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant[e] of the man who does this, who (Y)brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!
13 And this second thing you do. (Z)You cover the Lord's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14 (AA)But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the Lord (AB)was witness between you and the wife of your youth, (AC)to whom (AD)you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15 (AE)Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?[f] And what was the one God[g] seeking?[h] (AF)Godly offspring. So guard yourselves[i] in your spirit, and let none of you be (AG)faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For (AH)the man who does not love his wife but divorces her,[j] says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers[k] his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and (AI)do not be faithless.”
The Messenger of the Lord
17 (AJ)You have wearied the Lord with your words. (AK)But you say, “How have we wearied him?” (AL)By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, (AM)“Where is the God of justice?”
Footnotes
- Malachi 2:3 Hebrew seed
- Malachi 2:3 Or to it
- Malachi 2:6 Or law; also verses 7, 8, 9
- Malachi 2:7 Hebrew they
- Malachi 2:12 Hebrew any who wakes and answers
- Malachi 2:15 Hebrew in it
- Malachi 2:15 Hebrew the one
- Malachi 2:15 Or And not one has done this who has a portion of the Spirit. And what was that one seeking?
- Malachi 2:15 Or So take care; also verse 16
- Malachi 2:16 Hebrew who hates and divorces
- Malachi 2:16 Probable meaning (compare Septuagint and Deuteronomy 24:1–4); or “The Lord, the God of Israel, says that he hates divorce, and him who covers
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
