Malachi 2:1-9

The Lord Rebukes the Priests

1“And now, aO priests, bthis command is for you. 2 cIf you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send dthe curse upon you and I will curse eyour blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. 3Behold, fI will rebuke your offspring,
Hebrew seed
and hspread dung on your faces, the idung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.
Or to it
4So shall you know that I have sent kthis command to you, that lmy covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. 5My covenant with him was one of life and mpeace, and I gave them to him. nIt was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. 6 oTrue instruction
Or law; also verses 7, 8, 9
was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he qturned many from iniquity.
7For rthe lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people
Hebrew they
should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
8But you have turned aside from the way. tYou have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted uthe covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, 9and so vI make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but wshow partiality in your instruction.”

Copyright information for ESV