1The priests are sharply reproved for profaning the covenant which was given them; 10and the people for marrying strange wives, 13and treacherously putting away their former ones; 17and for impiety.
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1And now, 1O ye priests, this commandment is for you.
21If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, 2to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse 3your blessings: yea, 4I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.
3Behold, 1I will acorrupt your seed, 2and bspread dung upon your faces, even3the dung of your solemn feasts; and cone shall take you away with it.
4And 1ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that 2my covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
51My 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.
61The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he 2walked with me in peace and equity, and 3did turn many away from iniquity.
71For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is2the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
81But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to astumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.
91Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, 2according as ye have not kept my ways, but ahave been partial in the law.
101Have we not all one father? 2hath not one God created us? why do we 3deal treacherously every man against his brother, by 4profaning the covenant of our fathers?
11¶ 1Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in 2Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned 3the holiness of the Lord which he aloved, and hath married 4the daughter of a strange god.
12The Lord will 1cut off the man that doeth this, athe master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts.
13And this 1have ye done again, 2covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch 3that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.
14¶ Yet ye say, 1Wherefore? 2Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and 3the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she 4thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.
15And did not he make 1one? Yet had he the aresidue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek ba godly seed. Therefore take 2heed to your spirit, and let none deal ctreacherously against the wife of his youth.
16For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith athat 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 1wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, 2Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, 3Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, 4Where is the God of judgment?