Malachi 2
2
1 “And so then, O priests, this command is for you: 2If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart#Literally, “place it on your heart” to give glory to my name,” says Yahweh of hosts, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings; moreover I have already cursed them because you are not taking it to heart.#Literally “you are not placing it on your heart” 3Look! I am going to rebuke your offspring,#Literally “for you the offspring” and I will scatter offal on your faces, the offal of your religious feasts, and you will be carried to it.#The Hebrew is difficult. The subject is indefinite, and “it” likely refers to a refuse or waste pile
4“Then you will know that I have sent to you this command, that my covenant with Levi continues,”#Literally “be” says Yahweh of hosts. 5“My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. This required reverence, and he revered#Or “feared” me and stood in awe before#Literally “from the face of” my name. 6The instruction of truth#Or “law of truth” was in his mouth, and wickedness was not found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness#Or “rectitude,” or “fairness” he walked with me, and he brought back many from sin.#Or “iniquity” 7For the lips of the priest should guard knowledge, and they should seek instruction#Or “law” from his mouth, for he is the messenger of Yahweh of hosts. 8But you, you have turned from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction;#Or “the law” you have ruined the covenant of Levi,” says Yahweh of hosts. 9“And in turn I have made you despised and humbled before all the people, inasmuch as you are not keeping#Or “observing” my way, but are favoring your own instruction.”#Literally “lifting faces in the instruction/law”
Yahweh Hates Faithlessness
10Do we not all have#Literally “Is for all of us not” one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we unfaithful to one another,#Literally “each man to his brother” profaning the covenant of our ancestors?#Or “fathers” 11Judah has been faithless, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. Judah has profaned the sanctuary of Yahweh which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign#Or “pagan” god. 12May Yahweh cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, the one who is awake and who answers, and the one who brings an offering to Yahweh of hosts!
13And this you do as well:#Literally “a second time” you cover the altar of Yahweh with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because he#Yahweh no longer regards the offering#Literally “there is no longer turning to the offering” or accepts it with favor from your hand. 14But you ask, “For what reason?”#Literally “Because of what?” Because Yahweh stands as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have been unfaithful, even though she is your marriage partner and your wife by covenant.#Literally “the wife of your covenant” 15Did not one God make them?#Literally “Not one did he make” But a remnant of the spirit is his.#The meaning of this sentence is difficult; literally “And a remnant of the spirit to him” And what does the one God desire? An offspring of God.#Or “a godly offspring” You must be attentive to#Literally “You must keep watch on” your spirit, and you must not be unfaithful to the wife of your youth. 16“For I hate divorce,”#Hebrew “sending away” says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and he who covers his clothing with violence,” says Yahweh of hosts. “You must be attentive to#Literally “You must keep watch on” your spirit and you must not be unfaithful.”
17You have wearied Yahweh with your words, but you ask, “With what have we wearied him?” You have done so when you say,#Literally “at your saying” “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight#Literally “eyes” of Yahweh, and in them he delights,” or “Where is the God of justice?”
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Malachi 2
2
A Warning to the Priests
1“Listen, you priests—this command is for you! 2Listen to me and make up your minds to honor my name,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “or I will bring a terrible curse against you. I will curse even the blessings you receive. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you have not taken my warning to heart. 3I will punish your descendants and splatter your faces with the manure from your festival sacrifices, and I will throw you on the manure pile. 4Then at last you will know it was I who sent you this warning so that my covenant with the Levites can continue,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
5“The purpose of my covenant with the Levites was to bring life and peace, and that is what I gave them. This required reverence from them, and they greatly revered me and stood in awe of my name. 6They passed on to the people the truth of the instructions they received from me. They did not lie or cheat; they walked with me, living good and righteous lives, and they turned many from lives of sin.
7“The words of a priest’s lips should preserve knowledge of God, and people should go to him for instruction, for the priest is the messenger of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 8But you priests have left God’s paths. Your instructions have caused many to stumble into sin. You have corrupted the covenant I made with the Levites,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 9“So I have made you despised and humiliated in the eyes of all the people. For you have not obeyed me but have shown favoritism in the way you carry out my instructions.”
A Call to Faithfulness
10Are we not all children of the same Father? Are we not all created by the same God? Then why do we betray each other, violating the covenant of our ancestors?
11Judah has been unfaithful, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. The men of Judah have defiled the Lord’s beloved sanctuary by marrying women who worship idols. 12May the Lord cut off from the nation of Israel#2:12 Hebrew from the tents of Jacob. The names “Jacob” and “Israel” are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation. every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
13Here is another thing you do. You cover the Lord’s altar with tears, weeping and groaning because he pays no attention to your offerings and doesn’t accept them with pleasure. 14You cry out, “Why doesn’t the Lord accept my worship?” I’ll tell you why! Because the Lord witnessed the vows you and your wife made when you were young. But you have been unfaithful to her, though she remained your faithful partner, the wife of your marriage vows.
15Didn’t the Lord make you one with your wife? In body and spirit you are his.#2:15 Or Didn’t the one Lord make us and preserve our life and breath? or Didn’t the one Lord make her, both flesh and spirit? The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. And what does he want? Godly children from your union. So guard your heart; remain loyal to the wife of your youth. 16“For I hate divorce!”#2:16a Hebrew For he hates divorcing. says the Lord, the God of Israel. “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty,#2:16b Hebrew to cover one’s garment with violence.” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “So guard your heart; do not be unfaithful to your wife.”
17You have wearied the Lord with your words.
“How have we wearied him?” you ask.
You have wearied him by saying that all who do evil are good in the Lord’s sight, and he is pleased with them. You have wearied him by asking, “Where is the God of justice?”
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