Malachi 1:6-Malachi 2:9 - An Oracle Against The Temple Priesthood

⁶ A son will honor the father, and the servant his lord; and if I a father, where mine honor? and if I their lord, where my fear? said Jehovah of armies to you, O priests despising my name. And ye said, In what did we despise thy name?

⁷ Bringing polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye said, In what did we pollute thee? In your saying, The table of Jehovah it was despised.

⁸ And if ye shall bring near the blind for a sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye shall bring near the lame and the sick, is it not evil? bring A near now to thy governor; will he delight in thee, or lift up thy face? said Jehovah of armies. ⁹ And now, beseech now, the face of God, and he will be gracious to us: this was from your hand: will he lift up from you the faces? says Jehovah of armies. ¹⁰ Who also among you and he will shut the doors? and ye shall not make light mine altar gratuitously. Not to me delight in you, said Jehovah of armies, and I will not delight in the gift of your hand.

¹¹ For from the rising of the sun and even to its going down, great my name among the nations; and in every place incense being brought to my name, and a clean gift: for great my name among the nations, said Jehovah of armies.

¹² And ye profaning it in your saying, The table of Jehovah it being polluted; and its fruit, its food was despised. ¹³ And ye said, Behold, what a weariness! and ye puffed at it, said Jehovah of armies; and ye brought the spoiled and the lame, and the sick; and ye brought the gift: shall I accept it from your hand? said Jehovah.

¹⁴ And cursed he deceiving, and there is in his flock a male, and he vowed and sacrificed a corrupt thing to Jehovah: for I am a great king, said Jehovah of armies, and my name terrible among the nations.

¹ And now to you this command, O ye priests. ² If ye will not hear and if ye will not set upon your heart to give honor to my name, said Jehovah of armies, and I sent a curse upon you, and I cursed your blessings, and also I cursed it for your not setting upon the heart.

³ Behold me rebuking the seed to you, and I scattered dung upon your faces, the dung of your festivals; and it lifted you up to it. ⁴ And ye knew that I sent this command to you, for my covenant to be with Levi, said Jehovah of armies. ⁵ My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I will give them to him fearing, and he shall fear me, and from the face of my name he was terrified. ⁶ The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: in truth and in uprightness he went with me, and he turned back many from iniquity. ⁷ For the lips of the priest shall watch knowledge, and they shall seek the law from his mouth: for he is the messenger of Jehovah of armies.

⁸ And ye departed out of the way; ye made many weak by the law; ye corrupted the covenant of Levi, said Jehovah of armies. ⁹ And also I set you despised and low to all the people, according as ye watch not my way, and lift up the face against the law.