Malachi 1:6-Malachi 2:9 - An Oracle Against The Temple Priesthood
6 The son honours his father and the slave his master; if then I am a father, where is my honour? and if I am a master, where is my fear? said the LORD of the hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, In what have we despised thy name?
7 Ye offer polluted bread upon my altar; and ye say, In what have we polluted thee? In that ye say, We die of hunger in the service of the LORD.
8 And when ye offer the blind animal for sacrifice, is it not evil? Likewise when ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy prince; will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person? said the LORD of the hosts. 9 And now, therefore, beseech the face of God, and he will have compassion on us; this has come by your hand: will he regard your persons? said the LORD of the hosts. 10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors or tend the fire on my altar for free? I have no pleasure in you, said the LORD of the hosts, neither will the offering from your hand be agreeable unto me.
11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense is offered unto my name, and a clean offering; for my name is great among the Gentiles, said the LORD of the hosts.
12 And ye have profaned it when ye say, We die of hunger at the service of the LORD and when ye speak that his food is contemptible. 13 And ye say, Behold, what a weariness it is! and ye have rejected it, said the LORD of the hosts; and ye brought that which was stolen or lame or sick and presented an offering: should this be acceptable unto me by your hand? said the LORD.
14 But cursed be the deceiver, who has in his flock a male and vows and sacrifices unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of the hosts, and my name is formidable among the Gentiles.
1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, said the LORD of the hosts, I will 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.
3 Behold, I reprehend your seed and spread the dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemnities; and ye shall be removed with it. 4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, said the LORD of the hosts. 5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear with which he feared me and was broken before 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 righteousness and turned many away from iniquity. 7 For the priest's lips keep wisdom, and they seek the law at his mouth; for he is an angel of the LORD of the hosts.
8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble in the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, said the LORD of the hosts. 9 Therefore I have 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.