A Warning to the Priests

1And now, O ye Priests, this commandement is for you. 2If yee will not heare it, nor consider it in your heart, to giue glory vnto my Name, sayth the Lorde of hostes, I will euen sende a curse vpon you, and will curse your blessings: yea, I haue cursed them alreadie, because yee doe not consider it in your heart. 3Behold, I wil corrupt your seede, and cast dongue vpon your faces, euen the dongue of your solemne feastes, and you shall be like vnto it. 4And yee shall know, that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you, that my couenant, which I made with Leui, might stand, sayeth the Lord of hostes. 5My couenant was with him of life and peace, and I gaue him feare, and he feared mee, and was afraid before my Name. 6The lawe of trueth was in his mouth, and there was no iniquitie founde in his lippes: hee walked with me in peace and equitie, & did turne many away from iniquitie. 7For the Priestes lippes shoulde preserue knowledge, and they shoulde seeke the Lawe at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes. 8But yee are gone out of the way: yee haue caused many to fall by the Lawe: yee haue broken the couenant of Leui, sayeth the Lord of hostes. 9Therefore haue I also made you to be despised, and vile before all the people, because yee kept not my wayes, but haue beene partiall in the Lawe.

Judah’s Unfaithfulness

10Haue we not all one father? hath not one God made vs? why doe we transgresse euery one against his brother, and breake the couenant of our fathers? 11Iudah hath transgressed, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem: for Iudah hath defiled the holinesse of the Lorde, which hee loued, and hath maried the daughter of a strange God. 12The Lord will cut off the man that doeth this: both the master and the seruaunt out of the Tabernacle of Iaacob, and him that offereth an offering vnto the Lord of hostes.

13And this haue ye done againe, and couered the altar of the Lorde with teares, with weeping and with mourning: because the offering is no more regarded, neither receiued acceptably at your handes. 14Yet yee say, Wherein? Because the Lorde hath beene witnesse betweene thee and the wife of thy youth, against whome thou hast transgressed: yet is shee thy companion, and the wife of thy couenant. 15And did not hee make one? yet had hee abundance of spirit: and wherefore one? because he sought a godly seede: therefore keepe your selues in your spirit, & let none trespasse against the wife of his youth. 16If thou hatest her, put her away, sayeth the Lorde God of Israel, yet he couereth the iniurie vnder his garment, saieth the Lord of hosts: therefore keepe your selues in your spirite, and transgresse not.

17Yee haue wearied the Lorde with your woordes: yet yee say, Wherein haue we wearied him? When ye say, Euery one that doeth euill, is good in the sight of the Lorde, and he deliteth in them. Or where is the God of iudgement?