Malachi 2:1–9

Warning to the Priests

2“Therefore, this decree ^jis for you priests: ²If you don’t listen, and if you don’t take it to heart ^kto honor My name,” says Yahweh of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. ^lIn fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.

³“Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants, ^mand I will spread animal waste ⁿover your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices, ^oand you will be taken away with it. ⁴Then you will know that I sent you this decree so My covenant with Levi ^pmay continue,” says the Lord of Hosts. ⁵“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, ^qand I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name. ^r6True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with Me ^sin peace and fairness and turned many from sin. ^t7For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. ^u

⁸“You, on the other hand, have turned from the way. ^vYou have caused many to stumble ^wby your instruction. You have violated ^xthe covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of Hosts. ⁹“So I in turn have made you despised ^yand humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in your instruction.” ^z