Warning to the Priests

“Therefore, this decree(A) is for you priests: 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.

“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. Then you will know that I sent you this decree, so that my covenant with Levi(F) may continue,” says the Lord of Armies. “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) 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) 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)

“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. “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)

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Notas al pie

  1. 2:3 Dung or entrails
  2. 2:8 Lit corrupted

“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]

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Notas al pie

  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”