^1. «AND now this commandment is for you, O priests.

^2. «If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,» says the LORD of hosts, «then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.

^3. «Behold, I am going to rebuke your [4] offspring, and I will spread [3] refuse on your faces, the [2] refuse of your feasts; and you will be taken away [1] with it.

^4. «Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, [6] that My covenant may [5] continue with Levi,» says the LORD of hosts.

^5. «My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him as an object of [8] reverence; so he [7] revered Me and stood in awe of My name.

^6. « [9] True instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked with Me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many back from iniquity.

^7. «For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and [11] men should seek [10] instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

^8. «But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble [13] by the instruction; you have [12] corrupted the covenant of Levi,» says the LORD of hosts.

^9. «So I also have made you despised and abased [15] before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in the [14] instruction.

^10. «Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother so as to profane the covenant of our fathers?

^11. «Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD [16] which He loves and has married the daughter of a foreign god.

^12. «As for the man who does this, may the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob everyone who awakes and answers, or who presents [17] an offering to the LORD of hosts.

^13. «This is [19] another thing you do: you cover the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the [18] offering or accepts it with favor from your hand.

^14. «Yet you say, "For what reason?' Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant.

^15. « [22] But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And [21] what did that one do while he was seeking a godly [20] offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.

^16. «For [26] I hate [25] divorce,» says the LORD, the God of Israel, «and [24] him who covers his garment with [23] wrong,» says the LORD of hosts. «So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.»

^17. You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, «How have we wearied Him?» In that you say, « Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and He delights in them,» or, « Where is the God of justice?»