1祭司們啊，這誡命是傳給你們的。 2萬軍之耶和華說：「如果你們不聽從我的話，也不從內心尊崇我的名，我必使咒詛臨到你們，把你們的福氣變成咒詛。事實上，因為你們不把我的誡命放在心上，我已經咒詛了你們。 3我必斥責你們的子孫，把你們祭牲的糞便抹在你們臉上，又把你們和糞便一同丟掉， 4你們便知道我這樣告誡你們，是為了維持我與你們祖先利未所立的約。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 5我與他所立的是生命和平安之約，我將生命和平安賜給他，使他心存敬畏。他就尊崇我，敬畏我的名。 6他口中教導真理，嘴裡毫無詭詐。他與我同行，過著平安正直的生活，並引導許多人遠離罪惡。 7祭司的嘴唇應持守知識，人民應從他口中尋求訓誨，因為他是萬軍之耶和華的使者。 8然而，你們卻偏離正道，你們的教導使許多人跌倒，破壞了我和利未所立的約。」這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 9「因此，我必使你們在眾人面前遭藐視、輕賤。因為你們不遵守我的道，在教導上偏心待人。」
10難道我們不是出於同一位父親，由同一位上帝所造嗎？為何我們竟彼此欺騙，背棄上帝與我們祖先所立的約呢？ 11猶大人不忠貞，在以色列和耶路撒冷做了可憎的事，他們娶信奉外邦神明的女子為妻，褻瀆了耶和華所愛的聖所。 12願耶和華從雅各的帳篷中剷除所有做這事並獻供物給萬軍之耶和華的人！
13另外，你們哀哭悲歎，眼淚甚至淹沒了耶和華的祭壇，因為耶和華不再理會你們的供物，不再悅納你們所獻的。 14你們還問為什麼。因為耶和華在你和你的髮妻中間作證，她是你的配偶，是你盟約的妻子，你卻對她不忠。 15上帝不是把你們結合為一體，叫你們肉體和心靈都歸祂嗎2·15 此句希伯來文語意不清。？祂為何這樣做？是為了得敬虔的後裔。所以，你們要小心謹慎，不可對自己的髮妻不忠。 16以色列的上帝耶和華說：「我憎惡休妻和以暴虐待妻子的人。所以要守護你們的心，不可有不忠的行為。」這是萬軍之耶和華說的。 17你們說的話使耶和華厭煩，然而，你們還說：「我們在何事上令祂厭煩呢？」因為你們說：「耶和華將所有作惡者視為好人，並且喜悅他們」，還說：「公義的上帝在哪裡？」
Additional Warning to the Priests
1“And now, you priests, this warning is for you. 2If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.
3“Because of you I will rebuke your descendants2:3 Or will blight your grain; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. 4And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty. 5“My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.
7“For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the Lord Almighty. 9“So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”
Breaking Covenant Through Divorce
10Do we not all have one Father2:10 Or father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our ancestors by being unfaithful to one another?
11Judah has been unfaithful. A detestable thing has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god. 12As for the man who does this, whoever he may be, may the Lord remove him from the tents of Jacob2:12 Or 12 May the Lord remove from the tents of Jacob anyone who gives testimony in behalf of the man who does this—even though he brings an offering to the Lord Almighty.
13Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands. 14You ask, “Why?” It is because the Lord is the witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have been unfaithful to her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.
15Has not the one God made you? You belong to him in body and spirit. And what does the one God seek? Godly offspring.2:15 The meaning of the Hebrew for the first part of this verse is uncertain. So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
16“The man who hates and divorces his wife,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “does violence to the one he should protect,”2:16 Or “I hate divorce,” says the Lord, the God of Israel, “because the man who divorces his wife covers his garment with violence,” says the Lord Almighty.
So be on your guard, and do not be unfaithful.
Breaking Covenant Through Injustice
17You have wearied the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
By saying, “All who do evil are good in the eyes of the Lord, and he is pleased with them” or “Where is the God of justice?”
