The Priests Do Not Teach the Lord’s Word Correctly
2 “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 2 If you won’t listen and if you won’t consider giving honor to my name,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth, “then I’ll send a curse on you, and I’ll curse the blessings you give. Yes, I’ve already cursed them because you don’t carefully consider this.
3 “I’m going to punish your descendants. I’m going to spread excrement on your faces, the excrement from your festival sacrifices. You will be discarded with it. 4 Then you will know that I sent you this warning so that my promise[a] to Levi will continue,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth. 5 “I promised Levi life and peace. I gave them to him so that he would respect me. He respected me and stood in awe of my name. 6 The teaching that came from his mouth was true. Nothing unjust was found on his lips. He lived with me in peace and honesty and turned many people away from sin.
7 “A priest’s lips should preserve knowledge. Then, because he is the messenger for Yahweh Tsebaoth, people will seek instruction from his mouth.
8 “But you have turned from the correct path and caused many to stumble over my teachings. You have corrupted the promise made to Levi,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth. 9 “So I have made you disgusting, and I have humiliated you in front of all the people, because you have not followed my ways. You have been unfair when applying my teachings.”
The People Break Their Marriage Vows
10 Don’t all of us have the same father? Hasn’t the same God created us? Why are we unfaithful to each other? And why do we dishonor the promise given to our ancestors? 11 Judah has been unfaithful! A disgusting thing has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. Judah has dishonored the holy place that Yahweh loves and has married a woman who worships a foreign god. 12 May Yahweh exclude anyone who does this, whoever he may be. May he exclude them from Jacob’s tents and from bringing offerings to Yahweh Tsebaoth.
13 Here is another thing you do: You cover Yahweh’s altar with tears. You moan and groan because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them from you.
14 But you ask, “Why aren’t our offerings accepted?” It is because Yahweh is a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been unfaithful. Yet, she is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows. 15 Didn’t God make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. And what does the same God look for but godly descendants? So be careful not to be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.[b]
16 “I hate divorce,” says Yahweh Elohim of Israel. “I hate the person who covers himself with violence,” says Yahweh Tsebaoth. “Be careful not to be unfaithful.”
17 You have tried the patience of Yahweh with your words.
But you ask, “How have we tried his patience?”
When you say, “Everyone who does evil is considered good by Yahweh. He is pleased with them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”
Footnotes
- Malachi 2:4 Or “covenant.”
- Malachi 2:15 Hebrew meaning of this verse uncertain.