²⁹ Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priests and the Levites.^(A)

¹⁴ Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.^(A)

⁴ Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the Lord of hosts.^{(A) 5} My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.^{(B) 6} True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.^{(C) 7} For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.^{(D) 8} But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts,^(E)

¹² Therefore say, ‘I hereby grant him my covenant of peace.^{(A) 13} It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God and made atonement for the Israelites.’ ”^(B)

⁹ Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel to allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the Lord’s tabernacle and to stand before the congregation and serve them?^{(A) 10} He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you, yet you seek the priesthood as well!

The Holiness of Priests

21 The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:

“No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his relatives,^{(A) 2} except for his nearest kin: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother; ³ likewise, for a virgin sister close to him because she has had no husband, he may defile himself for her. ⁴ But he shall not defile himself for those related to him by marriage and so profane himself. ⁵ They shall not make bald spots upon their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or make any gashes in their flesh.^{(B) 6} They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they offer the Lord’s offerings by fire,^[a] the food of their God; therefore they shall be holy.^{(C) 7} They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband. For they are holy to their God,^(D)

¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will pay him back for his deeds.^(A)

The Covenant Profaned by Judah

¹⁰ Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?^{(A) 11} Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the Lord, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.^{(B) 12} For the one who does this, may the Lord cut off any witness^[a] or advocate from the tents of Jacob or anyone who could bring an offering to the Lord of hosts.^(C)