Study Desk

"And now, this commandment is for you, the priests.

"If you do ^(C1)not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to give honor to My name," says the LORD of armies, "then I will send the ^(C2)curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; and indeed, I have ^(C3)cursed them already, because you are not taking it to heart.

"Behold, I am going to ^(C1)rebuke your ^(F1)descendants, and I will ^(C2)spread ^(F2)dung on your faces, the ^(F2)dung of your ^(C3)feasts; and you will be taken away ^(F3)with it.

"Then you will know that I have sent this commandment to you, ^(F1)so that My ^(C1)covenant may ^(F2)continue with Levi," says the LORD of armies.

"My covenant with him was one of life and ^(C1)peace, and I gave them to him as an object of ^(F1)reverence; so he ^(F2)(C2)revered Me and was in awe of My name.

"^(F1)(C1)True instruction was in his mouth and injustice was not found on his lips; he walked ^(C2)with Me in peace and justice, and he ^(C3)turned many back from wrongdoing.

"For the lips of a priest should maintain ^(C1)knowledge, and people should ^(C2)seek ^(F1)instruction from his mouth; for he is the ^(C3)messenger of the LORD of armies.

"But as for you, you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to ^(C1)stumble ^(F1)by the instruction; you have ^(C2)ruined the covenant of Levi," says the LORD of armies.

"So ^(C1)I also have made you despised and of ^(C2)low reputation ^(F1)in the view of all the people, since you are not keeping My ways but are showing ^(C3)partiality in the ^(F2)instruction."