He sharply reproveth the priests for neglecting their Covenant,

1 ¶ And now,² O ye priests,º this² commandmentº [is] for² you. 2 If² ye will not² hear,ºª and if² ye will not² layºª [it] to² heart,º to giveºª gloryº unto my name,º saithºª the LORDº of hosts,º I will even sendºª² a curseº upon you, and I will curseºª² your blessings:º yea,² I have cursedºª them already, because² ye do not² layºª [it] to² heart.º 3 Behold,² I will corruptºª² your seed,º and spreadºª dungº upon² your faces,º [even] the dungº of your solemn feasts;º and [one] shall take you awayºª² with² it. 4 And ye shall knowºª that² I have sentºª this²² commandmentº unto² you, that my covenantº might be² with² Levi,º saithºª the LORDº of hosts.º 5 My covenantº was² with² him of lifeº and peace;º and I gaveºª them to him [for] the fearº wherewith he fearedºª me, and was afraidºª beforeº² my name.º 6 The lawº of truthº was² in his mouth,º and iniquityº was not² foundºª in his lips:º he walkedºª with² me in peaceº and equity,º and did turn¹ª many¹ awayºª² from iniquity.º² 7 For² the priest'sº lipsº should keepºª knowledge,º and they should seekºª the lawº at his mouth:º² for² he² [is] the messengerº of the LORDº of hosts.º 8 But ye² are departedºª out of² the way;º ye have caused many¹ to stumbleºª² at the law;º ye have corruptedºª the covenantº of Levi,º saithºª the LORDº of hosts.º 9 Therefore have I² also² madeºª you contemptibleºª and baseº before all² the people,º according¹ as²² ye have not² keptºª² my ways,º but have been partialººª in the law.º 10 Have we not² all² oneº father?º hath not² oneº Godº createdºª us? why² do we deal treacherouslyºª every manº against his brother,º by profaningºª the covenantº of our fathers?º

and the people for idolatry,

11 ¶ Judahº hath dealt treacherously,ºª and an abominationº is committedºª in Israelº and in Jerusalem;º for² Judahº hath profanedºª the holinessº of the LORDº which² he loved,ºª and hath marriedºª the daughterº of a strangeº god.º 12 The LORDº will cut offºª the manº that² doethºª this, the masterºª and the scholar,ºª out of the tabernaclesº² of Jacob,º and him that offerethºª an offeringº unto the LORDº of hosts.º 13 And this² have ye doneºª again,º coveringºª² the altarº of the LORDº with tears,º with weeping,º and with crying out,º insomuch that he regardethºª² not²² the offeringº any more,² or receivethºª [it] with good willº at your hand.º²

for adultery,

14 ¶ Yet ye say,ºª Wherefore?º² Because²² the LORDº hath been witnessºª between² thee and the wifeº of thy youth,º against whom² thou² hast dealt treacherously:ºª yet [is] she² thy companion,º and the wifeº of thy covenant.º 15 And did not² he makeºª one?º Yet had he the residueº of the spirit.º And wherefore² one?º That he might seekºª a godlyº seed.º Therefore take heedºª to your spirit,º and let none² deal treacherouslyºª against the wifeº of his youth.º 16 For² the LORD,º the Godº of Israel,º saithºª that he hatethºª putting away:ºª for [one] coverethºª violenceº with² his garment,º saithºª the LORDº of hosts:º therefore take heedºª to your spirit,º that ye deal not treacherously.ºª²

and for infidelity.

17 ¶ Ye have weariedºª the LORDº with your words.º Yet ye say,ºª Wherein² have we weariedºª [him]? When ye say,ºª Every one² that doethºª evilº [is] goodº in the sightº of the LORD,º and he² delightethºª in them; or,² Where² [is] the Godº of judgment?º