“1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment [is] for you. 2 If ye will
not hear, and if ye will not lay [it] to heart, to give glory unto my
name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I
will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye
do not lay [it] to heart. 3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread
dung upon your faces, [even] the dung of your solemn feasts; and [one]
shall take you away with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this
commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the
LORD of hosts. 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave
them to him [for] the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before
my name. 6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found
in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many
away from iniquity. 7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and
they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger of the
LORD of hosts. 8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many
to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the
LORD of hosts. 9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base
before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have
been partial in the law.”
“10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we
deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the
covenant of our fathers? 11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an
abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath
profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the
daughter of a strange god. 12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth
this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and
him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts. 13 And this have
ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping,
and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any
more, or receiveth [it] with good will at your hand. 14 Yet ye say,
Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife
of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet [is] she
thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. 15 And did not he make one?
Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might
seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal
treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16 For the LORD, the God of
Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for [one] covereth violence
with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your
spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 17 Ye have wearied the LORD with
your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied [him]? When ye say,
Every one that doeth evil [is] good in the sight of the LORD, and he
delighteth in them; or, Where [is] the God of judgment?” (Malachi 2:1-17
AV)