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Malachi

Calls for faithfulness and foretells the coming of a messenger to prepare the way for the Lord.

Chapter 2

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

*Now, dear priests, this rule is for you.

2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

*If you don't listen and don't care about giving glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, I will send a curse on you. I will even curse your good things. Yes, I have already cursed them because you don't truly care.

3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

*Look, I will cause trouble for your children, and put foul waste on your faces, which is from your special celebrations; and someone will take you away because of it.

4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

*You will understand that I gave this order to you so that my agreement is with Levi, says the Lord of heaven's armies.

5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

*My agreement was with him for life and peace; I gave these to him because he feared me, and was afraid of my name.

6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

*The truth was always in his words, and he never spoke wrongly. He walked with me in peace and fairness, and helped many people avoid doing wrong things.

7 For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

*The priest's lips must hold wisdom, looking to the law when he speaks, as he is God's messenger.

8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

*But you have gone off track; you've made lots of people trip up on the rules; you've messed up the agreement of the Levites tribe, says the God of armies.

9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

*So, I've made you seem unimportant and low in everyone's eyes because you didn't follow my rules properly. You were unfair in the law.

10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

*Don't we all have the same father? Wasn't one God who made us? Why are we being dishonest to each other, breaking the promise our ancestors made?

11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

*Judah has been unfaithful and a terrible act has occurred in Israel and Jerusalem. Judah has disrespected the Lord's sacredness that they loved by marrying the daughter of a foreign god.

12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

*God will punish those who do this, both the leader and the teacher, from among the people of Jacob, and anyone who offers a sacrifice to the Lord of armies.

13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

*You did this again, making the Lord's altar covered in tears, sadness, and loud cries. So much so, that He no longer accepts the offering or receives it happily from your hands.

14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

*"But you ask, 'Why?' It's because the Lord has acted as a witness between you and your young wife, whom you have been unfaithful to. Still, she remains your partner and the wife who made a promise with you."

15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

*Did God not create one (spouse)? But there was still some spirit left. Why just one? To find a righteous partner. So be careful with your spirit and don't betray your young wife.

16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

*The Lord, God of Israel, says He hates divorce. Some people hide their wrongdoings behind their actions, says the Lord of Hosts. So, be careful with your actions and don't betray others.

17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

*You have tired God with your talk. You ask, "How have we tired him?" But you say that God likes everyone who does bad things and that he enjoys them. You also wonder, "Where is the God who judges right and wrong?"

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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