2:1 And now, O priests, this commandment is
to you.
2:2 If ye will not hearken, and if ye will not lay [it] to heart, to give
glory to my name, saith Yehovah Almighty, then I will send forth the curse
upon you, and I will bring a curse upon your blessing: yea, I will curse it,
and I will scatter your blessing, and it shall not exist among you, because
ye lay not this to heart.
2:3 Behold, I turn my back upon you, and I will scatter dung upon your
faces, the dung of your feasts, and I will carry you away at the same time.
2:4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my
covenant might be with the sons of Levi, saith Yehovah Almighty.
2:5 My covenant of life and peace was with him, and I gave [it] him that he
might reverently fear me, and that he might be awe-struck at my name.
2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his
lips: he walked before me directing [his way] in peace, and he turned many
from unrighteousness.
2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the
law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of Yehovah Almighty.
2:8 But ye have turned aside from the way, and caused many to fail in
[following] the law: ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith Yehovah
Almighty.
2:9 And I have made you despised and cast out among all the people, because
ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.
2:10 Have ye not all one father? Did not one Elohim create you? why have ye
forsaken every man his brother, to profane the covenant of your fathers?
2:11 Judah has been forsaken, and an abomination has been committed in Israel
and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holy things of Yehovah, which
he delighted in, and has gone after other gods.
2:12 Yehovah will utterly destroy the man that does these things, until he
be even cast down from out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and from among them
that offer sacrifice to Yehovah Almighty.
2:13 And these things which I hated, ye did: ye covered with tears the altar
of Yehovah, and with weeping and groaning because of troubles: [is it] meet
[for me] to have respect to your sacrifice, or to receive [anything] from
your hands [as] welcome?
2:14 Yet ye said, Wherefore? Because Yehovah has borne witness between thee
and the wife of thy youth, whom thou has forsaken, and [yet] she was thy
partner, and the wife of thy covenant.
2:15 And did he not do well? and [there was] the residue of his spirit. But
ye said, What does Elohim seek but a seed? But take ye heed to your spirit, and
forsake not the wife of thy youth.
2:16 But if thou shouldest hate [thy wife] and put her away, saith Yehovah
Elohim of Israel, then ungodliness shall cover thy thoughts, saith Yehovah
Almighty: therefore take ye heed to your spirit, and forsake [them] not,
2:17 ye that have provoked Elohim with your words. But ye said, Wherein have we
provoked him? In that ye say, Every one that does evil is a pleasing
[object] in the sight of Yehovah, and he takes pleasure in such; and where
is the Elohim of justice? |
2:1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment
is for you.
2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory
unto my name, saith Yehovah 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.
2:3 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.
2:4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my
covenant might be with Levi, saith Yehovah of hosts.
2:5 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.
2:6 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.
2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the
law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of Yehovah of hosts.
2:8 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 Yehovah of hosts.
2:9 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.
2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one Elohim created us? why do we deal
treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of
our fathers?
2:11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in
Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of Yehovah
which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.
2:12 Yehovah 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 Yehovah of hosts.
2:13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of Yehovah 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.
2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because Yehovah 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.
2:15 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.
2:16 For Yehovah, the Elohim of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for
one covereth violence with his garment, saith Yehovah of hosts: therefore
take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.
2:17 Ye have wearied Yehovah 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
Yehovah, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the Elohim of judgment? |