(KJV) Malachi 2¹

⥃A Warning to the Priests

[1] And now, O ye priests, this commandment [is] for you.² [2] If ye will not hear³, and if ye will not lay⁴ [it] to heart, to give⁵ glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I⁶ will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed⁷ them already, because ye do not lay [it] to heart. [3] Behold, I will⁸ corrupt⁹ your seed, and spread¹⁰ dung upon your faces, [even] the dung of your solemn feasts; and [one] shall take you away with it¹¹. [4] And ye¹² shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my¹³ covenant might be with Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. [5] My covenant¹⁴ was with him of life and peace; and I gave¹⁵ them to him [for] the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. [6] The law¹⁶ of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked¹⁷ with me in peace and equity, and did¹⁸ turn many away from iniquity. [7] For the priest’s¹⁹ lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he [is] the messenger²⁰ of the Lord of hosts. [8] But ye are²¹ departed out of the way; ye have caused²² many to stumble at²³ the law; ye have corrupted²⁴ the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts. [9] Therefore have I also made²⁵ you contemptible and base before²⁶ all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but²⁷ have been partial in²⁸ the law.

⥃Judah’s Unfaithfulness

[10] Have we not all²⁹ one father? hath³⁰ not one God created us? why³¹ do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by³² profaning the covenant of our fathers?

[11] [¶]Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an³³ abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned³⁴ the holiness of the Lord which he loved³⁵, and hath³⁶ married the daughter of a strange god. [12] The Lord will cut³⁷ off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar³⁸, out³⁹ of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him⁴⁰ that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts. [13] And this have ye done again, covering⁴¹ the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch⁴² that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth [it] with good will at your hand.

[14] [¶]Yet ye say, Wherefore⁴³? Because the Lord⁴⁴ hath been witness between thee and the wife⁴⁵ of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet [is] she thy companion⁴⁶, and the wife of thy covenant. [15] And did⁴⁷ not he make one? Yet had he the residue⁴⁸ of the spirit⁴⁹. And wherefore one? That he⁵⁰ might seek a godly seed⁵¹. Therefore take⁵² heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously⁵³ against the wife of his youth. [16] For the Lord⁵⁴, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away⁵⁵: for [one] covereth⁵⁶ violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

[17] [¶]Ye have wearied⁵⁷ the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein⁵⁸ have we wearied [him]? When ye say, Every⁵⁹ one that doeth evil [is] good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where⁶⁰ [is] the God of judgment?