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1. "Therefore, this decree is for you priests:
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1. And now H6258 , O ye priests H3548 , this H2063 commandment H4687 is for H413 you.
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2. If you don't listen, and if you don't take it to heart to honor My name," says the LORD of Hosts, "I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. In fact, I have already begun to curse them because you are not taking it to heart.
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2. If H518 ye will not H3808 hear H8085 , and if H518 ye will not H3808 lay H7760 it to H5921 heart H3820 , to give H5414 glory H3519 unto my name H8034 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 , I will even send H7971 H853 a curse H3994 upon you , and I will curse H779 H853 your blessings H1293 : yea H1571 , I have cursed H779 them already, because H3588 ye do not H369 lay H7760 it to H5921 heart H3820 .
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3. "Look, I am going to rebuke your descendants, and I will spread animal waste over your faces, the waste from your festival sacrifices, and you will be taken away with it.
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3. Behold H2009 , I will corrupt H1605 H853 your seed H2233 , and spread H2219 dung H6569 upon H5921 your faces H6440 , even the dung H6569 of your solemn feasts H2282 ; and one shall take you away H5375 H853 with H413 it.
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4. Then you will know that I sent you this decree so My covenant with Levi may continue," says the LORD of Hosts.
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4. And ye shall know H3045 that H3588 I have sent H7971 this H2063 H853 commandment H4687 unto H413 you , that my covenant H1285 might be H1961 with H854 Levi H3878 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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5. "My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave these to him; it called for reverence, and he revered Me and stood in awe of My name.
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5. My covenant H1285 was H1961 with H854 him of life H2416 and peace H7965 ; and I gave H5414 them to him for the fear H4172 wherewith he feared H3372 me , and was afraid H2865 before H4480 H6440 my name H8034 .
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6. True instruction was in his mouth, and nothing wrong was found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and fairness and turned many from sin.
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6. The law H8451 of truth H571 was H1961 in his mouth H6310 , and iniquity H5766 was not H3808 found H4672 in his lips H8193 : he walked H1980 with H854 me in peace H7965 and equity H4334 , and did turn many away H7725 H7227 from iniquity H4480 H5771 .
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7. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the LORD of Hosts.
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7. For H3588 the priest H3548 's lips H8193 should keep H8104 knowledge H1847 , and they should seek H1245 the law H8451 at his mouth H4480 H6310 : for H3588 he H1931 is the messenger H4397 of the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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8. "You, on the other hand, have turned from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have violated the covenant of Levi," says the LORD of Hosts.
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8. But ye H859 are departed H5493 out of H4480 the way H1870 ; ye have caused many to stumble H3782 H7227 at the law H8451 ; ye have corrupted H7843 the covenant H1285 of Levi H3878 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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9. "So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people because you are not keeping My ways but are showing partiality in your instruction."
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9. Therefore have I H589 also H1571 made H5414 you contemptible H959 and base H8217 before all H3605 the people H5971 , according as H6310 H834 ye have not H369 kept H8104 H853 my ways H1870 , but have been partial H5375 H6440 in the law H8451 .
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10. Don't all of us have one Father? Didn't one God create us? Why then do we act treacherously against one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
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10. Have we not H3808 all H3605 one H259 father H1 ? hath not H3808 one H259 God H410 created H1254 us? why H4069 do we deal treacherously H898 every man H376 against his brother H251 , by profaning H2490 the covenant H1285 of our fathers H1 ?
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11. Judah has acted treacherously, and a detestable thing has been done in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah has profaned the LORD's sanctuary, which He loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
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11. Judah H3063 hath dealt treacherously H898 , and an abomination H8441 is committed H6213 in Israel H3478 and in Jerusalem H3389 ; for H3588 Judah H3063 hath profaned H2490 the holiness H6944 of the LORD H3068 which H834 he loved H157 , and hath married H1166 the daughter H1323 of a strange H5236 god H410 .
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12. To the man who does this, may the LORD cut off any descendants from the tents of Jacob, even if they present an offering to the LORD of Hosts.
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12. The LORD H3068 will cut off H3772 the man H376 that H834 doeth H6213 this , the master H5782 and the scholar H6030 , out of the tabernacles H4480 H168 of Jacob H3290 , and him that offereth H5066 an offering H4503 unto the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 .
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13. And this is another thing you do: you cover the LORD's altar with tears, with weeping and groaning, because He no longer respects your offerings or receives them gladly from your hands.
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13. And this H2063 have ye done H6213 again H8145 , covering H3680 H853 the altar H4196 of the LORD H3068 with tears H1832 , with weeping H1065 , and with crying out H603 , insomuch that he regardeth H6437 H413 not H4480 H369 the offering H4503 any more H5750 , or receiveth H3947 it with good will H7522 at your hand H4480 H3027 .
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14. Yet you ask, "For what reason?" Because the LORD has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth. You have acted treacherously against her, though she was your marriage partner and your wife by covenant.
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14. Yet ye say H559 , Wherefore H5921 H4100 ? Because H5921 H3588 the LORD H3068 hath been witness H5749 between H996 thee and the wife H802 of thy youth H5271 , against whom H834 thou H859 hast dealt treacherously H898 : yet is she H1931 thy companion H2278 , and the wife H802 of thy covenant H1285 .
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15. Didn't the one God make us with a remnant of His life-breath? And what does the One seek? A godly offspring. So watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously against the wife of your youth.
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15. And did not H3808 he make H6213 one H259 ? Yet had he the residue H7605 of the spirit H7307 . And wherefore H4100 one H259 ? That he might seek H1245 a godly H430 seed H2233 . Therefore take heed H8104 to your spirit H7307 , and let none H408 deal treacherously H898 against the wife H802 of his youth H5271 .
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16. "If he hates and divorces his wife," says the LORD God of Israel, "he covers his garment with injustice," says the LORD of Hosts. Therefore, watch yourselves carefully, and do not act treacherously.
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16. For H3588 the LORD H3068 , the God H430 of Israel H3478 , saith H559 that he hateth H8130 putting away H7971 : for one covereth H3680 violence H2555 with H5921 his garment H3830 , saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 : therefore take heed H8104 to your spirit H7307 , that ye deal not treacherously H898 H3808 .
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17. You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you ask, "How have we wearied Him?" When you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the LORD's sight, and He is pleased with them," or "Where is the God of justice?"
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17. Ye have wearied H3021 the LORD H3068 with your words H1697 . Yet ye say H559 , Wherein H4100 have we wearied H3021 him ? When ye say H559 , Every one H3605 that doeth H6213 evil H7451 is good H2896 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 , and he H1931 delighteth H2654 in them; or H176 , Where H346 is the God H430 of judgment H4941 ?
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