Malachi 2

The  Lord Rebukes the Priests

1 “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 ▼
▼ Hebrew seed
 and h spread dung on your faces, the i dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. ▼
▼ Or to it
 4 So shall you know that I have sent k this command to you, that l my covenant with Levi may stand, says the  Lord of hosts. 5 My covenant with him was one of life and m peace, and I gave them to him. n It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6  o True instruction ▼
▼ Or law; also verses 7, 8, 9
 was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he q turned many from iniquity. 7 For r the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people ▼
▼ Hebrew they
 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. t You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted u the covenant of Levi, says the  Lord of hosts, 9 and so v I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but w show partiality in your instruction.”

Judah Profaned the Covenant

10 Have we not all x one Father? Has not y one God created us? Why then are we z faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah has been aa faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For ab 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 ▼
▼ Hebrew  any who wakes and answers
 of the man who does this, who ad brings an offering to the  Lord of hosts!

13 And this second thing you do. ae 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  af But you say, “Why does he not?” Because the  Lord ag was witness between you and the wife of your youth ah to whom ai you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. 15  aj Did he not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? ▼
▼ Hebrew  in it
 And what was the one God ▼
▼ Hebrew  the one
 seeking? ▼
▼ Or And not one has done this who has a portion of the Spirit. And what was that one seeking?
 an Godly offspring. So guard yourselves ▼
▼ Or  So take care; also verse 16
 in your spirit, and let none of you be ap faithless to the wife of your youth. 16 “For aq the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, ▼
▼ Hebrew  who hates and divorces
 says the  Lord, the God of Israel, covers ▼
▼ 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
 his garment with violence, says the  Lord of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and at do not be faithless.”

The Messenger of the  Lord

17  au You have wearied the  Lord with your words. av But you say, “How have we wearied him?” aw By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the  Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, ax “Where is the God of justice?”

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