Priests to Be Disciplined

1 “And now this commandment is for you, O priests.

2 “If you do anot listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name,” says the Lord of hosts, “then I will send the bcurse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have ccursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.

3 “Behold, I am going to arebuke your 1offspring, and I will bspread 2refuse on your faces, the 2refuse of your cfeasts; and you will be taken away 3with it.

4 “Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, 1that My acovenant may 2continue with Levi,” says the Lord of hosts.

5 “My covenant with him was one of life and apeace, and I gave them to him as an object of 1reverence; so he 2brevered Me and stood in awe of My name.

6 “1aTrue instruction was in his mouth and unrighteousness was not found on his lips; he walked bwith Me in peace and uprightness, and he cturned many back from iniquity.

7 “For the lips of a priest should preserve aknowledge, and 1men should bseek 2instruction from his mouth; for he is the cmessenger of the Lord of hosts.

8 “But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to astumble 1by the instruction; you have 2bcorrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the Lord of hosts.

9 “So aI also have made you despised and babased 1before all the people, just as you are not keeping My ways but are showing cpartiality in the 2instruction.