Malachi

Malachi 2

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.


1AND now, aO ye priests, this commandment is for you.

a ch. 1.6. Ho. 5.1.

2bIf ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, cto give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse dyour blessings: yea, eI have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

b Le. 26.14-39. De. 28.15-18. Lu. 13.3,5. Re. 2.5,22,23. Is. 3.11. c Jos. 7.19. Je. 13.16. 1Pe. 4.11. d Ps. 69.22. e Hag. 1.6-11; 2.16,17. ch. 3.9.

3Behold, fI will 1corrupt your seed, gand 2spread dung upon your faces, even hthe dung of your solemn feasts; and 3one shall take you away with it.

1Or, reprove.

2Heb. scatter. Na. 3.6.

3Or, it shall take you away to it. 1Ki. 14.10.

f Joel 1.17. Je. 14.4. Ac. 11.28. g 1Sa. 2.30. Nu. 12.14. v.8. h Ex. 29.14.

4And iye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that jmy covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

i Is. 26.11. Ps. 58.11; 9.16; 83.18. j Nu. 3.45; 8.15; 16.9; 17; 18; 25.12. Ne. 13.29. ch. 3.1.

5kMy 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.

k Nu. 25.11-13. Ps. 106.30,31. De. 33.8-10. Ex. 32.26,29. Is. 54.10; 66.2.

6lThe law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he mwalked with me in peace and equity, and ndid turn many away from iniquity.

l De. 33.10. Ps. 37.30. Re. 14.5. m Ge. 5.22,24; 6.9; 17.1. Am. 3.3. Tit. 2.11-14. n Je. 23.22. Da. 12.3. Ja. 5.20.

7oFor the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is pthe messenger of the LORD of hosts.

o Le. 10.11. De. 17.8,9; 21.5. 2Ch. 17.9. Ezr. 7.10. Ne. 8.3-8. Hag. 2.11-13. Eze. 44.23. Je. 18.18; 15.19. Eze. 7.26. p Ac. 16.17. Is. 42.19; 44.26. Hag. 1.13. Ga. 4.14. 2Co. 5.20. Tit. 1.7,9. 2Ti. 2.24.

8qBut ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to 4stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

4Or, fall in.

q Zec. 7.11. Da. 9.5. Eze. 44.10. Is. 31.6. 1Sa. 2.17,30. Lu. 11.45,46. Je. 18.15. Ne. 13.29.

9rTherefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, saccording as ye have not kept my ways, but 5have been partial in the law.

5Heb. accepted faces; or, lifted up the face against, Mi. 3.5.

r v.3. 1Sa. 2.30. Na. 3.6. s ch. 1.6-14. v.8.

10tHave we not all one father? uhath not one God created us? why do we vdeal treacherously every man against his brother, by wprofaning the covenant of our fathers?

t He. 11.8-12; 12.9. Is. 63.16; 64.8. Ep. 4.6. 1Co. 8.6. Job 31.15. u Ac. 17.26. v v.11,14,15. Je. 9.4. 1Th. 4.6. w De. 7.3. Le. 21.7.

11xJudah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in yIsrael and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned zthe holiness of the LORD which he 6loved, and hath married athe daughter of a strange god.

6Or, ought to love.

x Ezr. 9.1,2. Ne. 13.23-27. v.14,16. 2Co. 6.14-18. y ch. 1.1. z 1Ch. 16.29. Je. 2.3. Ac. 3.14; 4.27. a Je. 2.27.

12The LORD will bcut off the man that doeth this, 7the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

7Or, him that waketh, and him that answereth. Ne. 13.28,29. 1Sa. 2.31. Je. 8.10.

b Jos. 23.12,13.

13And this chave ye done again, dcovering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch ethat he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

c Ps. 78.34-37. 2Ti. 3.13. Je. 9.3. Ezr. 9.1,2; 10. Ne. 13.23-27. d 1Sa. 1.6,10. e Is. 1.11-15; 66.3. Je. 6.20. Am. 5.21. Pr. 15.8; 21.27; 28.9.

14¶Yet ye say, fWherefore? gBecause the LORD hath been witness between thee and hthe wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she ithy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

f ch. 1.6,7; 3.8. Je. 8.12. Pr. 30.20. g ch. 3.5. Pr. 2.17; 5.18. He. 13.4. Ge. 31.44. h v.15. Is. 54.6. i Ge. 2.23,24. Pr. 2.17.

15And did not he make jone? Yet had he the 8residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek 9a godly seed. Therefore take kheed to your spirit, and let none deal 10treacherously against the wife of his youth.

8Or, excellency.

9Heb. a seed of God, 1Co. 7.14. Ezr. 9.2. Ge. 6.2.

10Or, unfaithfully, 1Co. 7.5.

j Mat. 19.4,5. k Pr. 4.23. Lu. 9.55. v.16.

16For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith 11that 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.

11Or, if he hate her, put her away. Heb. to put away. De. 24.1. Mat. 19.8,9; 5.31,32.

17¶Ye have lwearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, mWherein have we wearied him ? When ye say, nEvery one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, oWhere is the God of judgment?

l Is. 43.24. Am. 2.13. Eze. 16.43. Ps. 95.9,10. m ch. 1.6,7; 3.8,13. v.14. Je. 8.12. Is. 1.3. n ch. 3.13-15. Ps. 73.3-5. Job 12.6; 21.7-15. o Eze. 8.13; 9.9. Ps. 10.11,13. Zep. 1.12. 2Pe. 3.3,4. Is. 5.19. Ex. 5.2.