²⁹ Remember^(A) them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.^(B)

¹⁴ Remember^(A) Tobiah and Sanballat,^(B) my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophet^(C) Noadiah and how she and the rest of the prophets^(D) have been trying to intimidate me.

⁴ And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi^(A) may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. ⁵ “My covenant was with him, a covenant^(B) of life and peace,^(C) and I gave them to him; this called for reverence^(D) and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. ⁶ True instruction^(E) was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked^(F) with me in peace^(G) and uprightness,^(H) and turned many from sin.^(I)

⁷ “For the lips of a priest^(J) ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger^(K) of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth.^{(L) 8} But you have turned from the way^(M) and by your teaching have caused many to stumble;^(N) you have violated the covenant^(O) with Levi,”^(P) says the Lord Almighty.

¹² Therefore tell him I am making my covenant of peace^(A) with him. ¹³ He and his descendants will have a covenant of a lasting priesthood,^(B) because he was zealous^(C) for the honor^(D) of his God and made atonement^(E) for the Israelites.”^(F)

⁹ Isn’t it enough^(A) for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?^{(B) 10} He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.^(C)

Rules for Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron,^(A) and say to them: ‘A priest must not make himself ceremonially unclean^(B) for any of his people who die,^{(C) 2} except for a close relative, such as his mother or father,^(D) his son or daughter, his brother, ³ or an unmarried sister who is dependent on him since she has no husband—for her he may make himself unclean.^{(E) 4} He must not make himself unclean for people related to him by marriage,^[a] and so defile himself.

⁵ “‘Priests must not shave^(F) their heads or shave off the edges of their beards^(G) or cut their bodies.^{(H) 6} They must be holy to their God^(I) and must not profane the name of their God.^(J) Because they present the food offerings to the Lord,^(K) the food of their God,^(L) they are to be holy.^(M)

⁷ “‘They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands,^(N) because priests are holy to their God.^(O)

¹⁴ Alexander^(A) the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done.^(B)

Breaking Covenant Through Divorce

¹⁰ Do we not all have one Father^[a]?^(A) Did not one God create us?^(B) Why do we profane the covenant^(C) of our ancestors by being unfaithful^(D) to one another?

¹¹ Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable^(E) thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves^(F) by marrying^(G) women who worship a foreign god.^{(H) 12} As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove^(I) him from the tents of Jacob^[b](J)—even though he brings an offering^(K) to the Lord Almighty.