Warning to the Priests

2 “Therefore, this decree^(A) is for you priests: ² If you don’t listen, and if you don’t take it to heart^(B) to honor my name,” says the Lord of Armies, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings.^(C) In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.

³ “Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants,^(D) and I will spread animal waste^[a] over your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices,^(E) and you will be taken away with it. ⁴ Then you will know that I sent you this decree, so that my covenant with Levi^(F) may continue,” says the Lord of Armies. ⁵ “My covenant with him was one of life and peace,^(G) and I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.^{(H) 6} True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me^(I) in peace and integrity and turned many from iniquity.^{(J) 7} For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.^(K)

⁸ “You, on the other hand, have turned from the way.^(L) You have caused many to stumble^(M) by your instruction. You have violated^[b] the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of Armies. ⁹ “So I in turn have made you despised^(N) and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping my ways but are showing partiality in your instruction.”^(O)

Judah’s Marital Unfaithfulness

¹⁰ Don’t all of us have one Father?^(P) Didn’t one God create us?^(Q) Why then do we act treacherously against one another,^(R) profaning^(S) the covenant of our ancestors?^{(T) 11} Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable^(U) act has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned^(V) the Lord’s sanctuary,^[c](W) which he loves,^(X) and has married the daughter of a foreign god.^{[d](Y) 12} May the Lord cut off^(Z) from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, whoever he may be,^[e](AA) even if he presents an offering to the Lord of Armies.

¹³ This is another thing you do. You are covering the Lord’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning,^(AB) because he no longer respects your offerings or receives them gladly from your hands.^(AC)

¹⁴ And you ask, “Why?” Because even though the Lord has been a witness^(AD) between you and the wife of your youth,^(AE) you have acted treacherously against her. She was your marriage partner^(AF) and your wife by covenant.^{(AG) 15} Didn’t God make them one and give them a portion of spirit? What is the one seeking?^[f] Godly offspring. So watch yourselves carefully,^[g](AH) so that no one acts treacherously against the wife of his^[h] youth.

¹⁶ “If he hates^(AI) and divorces his wife,”^(AJ) says the Lord God of Israel, “he^[i] covers his garment with injustice,”^(AK) says the Lord of Armies. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully,^[j] and do not act treacherously.

Judgment at the Lord’s Coming

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

Yet you ask, “How have we wearied him?”

When you say, “Everyone who does what is evil is good in the Lord’s sight, and he is delighted with them,^(AM) or else where is the God of justice?” ^(AN)