\v 1 And now, you priests, this command is for you.
\v 2 "If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart to give glory to my name," says Yahweh of hosts, "then I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take my command to heart.
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\v 3 See, I will rebuke your descendants, and I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you will be taken away with it.
\v 4 And you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi," says Yahweh of hosts.
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\v 5 "My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave these things to him as things to honor me for. He honored me and stood in awe of my name.
\v 6 True teaching was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many away from sin.
\v 7 For a priest's lips should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of me, Yahweh of hosts.
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\v 8 But you have turned away from the true path. You have caused many to stumble with respect to the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi," says Yahweh of hosts.
\v 9 "In turn I have also made you contemptible and vile before all the people, because you have not kept my ways, but have instead shown partiality in your instruction."
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\v 10 Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously each against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
\v 11 Judah has dealt treacherously, and a disgusting thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the
holy place of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
\v 12 May Yahweh cut off from the tents of Jacob any descendant of the man that does this, even one who brings an offering to Yahweh of hosts.
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\v 13 And you also do this. You cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping and sighing, because he no longer agrees to look at the offering and does not accept it with favor from your hand.
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\v 14 But you say, "Why does he not?" Because Yahweh was witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have been faithless, even though she was your companion and your wife by covenant.
\v 15 Did he not make one, with a portion of his spirit? And why did he make you one? Because he was hoping to have godly offspring. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let no one be faithless to the wife of your youth.
\v 16 "For I hate divorce," says Yahweh, the God of Israel, "and him who covers his garment with violence," says Yahweh of hosts. "So guard yourselves in your spirit and do not be faithless."
\v 17 You have wearied Yahweh with your words. But you say, "How have we wearied him?" By saying, "Every one who does evil is good in the sight of Yahweh, and he delights in them;" or "Where is the God of justice?"
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