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1. "Priests, this command is for you.
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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. Listen to me. Pay attention to what I say. Honor my name," says the Lord All-Powerful. "If you don't, I will send a curse on you and on your blessings. I have already cursed them, because you don't pay attention to what I say.
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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. "I will punish your descendants. I will smear your faces with the animal insides left from your feasts, and you will be thrown 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 am giving you this command so my agreement with Levi will continue," says the Lord All-Powerful.
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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 agreement for priests was with the tribe of Levi. I promised them life and peace so they would honor me. And they did honor me and fear me.
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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. They taught the true teachings and spoke no lies. With peace and honesty they did what I said they should do, and they kept many people from sinning.
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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. "A priest should teach what he knows, and people should learn the teachings from him, because he is the messenger of the Lord All-Powerful.
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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. But you priests have stopped obeying me. With your teachings you have caused many people to do wrong. You have broken the agreement with the tribe of Levi!" says the Lord All-Powerful.
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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. "You have not been careful to do what I say, but instead you take sides in court cases. So I have caused you to be hated and disgraced in front of everybody."
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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. We all have the same father; the same God made us. So why do people break their promises to each other and show no respect for the agreement our ancestors made with God?
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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. The people of Judah have broken their promises. They have done something God hates in Israel and Jerusalem: The people of Judah did not respect the Temple that the Lord loves, and the men of Judah married women who worship foreign gods.
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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. Whoever does this might bring offerings to the Lord All-Powerful, but the Lord will still cut that person off from the community of Israel.
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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. This is another thing you do. You cover the Lord's altar with your tears. You cry and moan, because he does not accept your offerings and is not pleased with what you bring.
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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. You ask, "Why?" It is because the Lord sees how you treated the wife you married when you were young. You broke your promise to her, even though she was your partner and you had an agreement with her.
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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. God made husbands and wives to become one body and one spirit for his purpose -- so they would have children who are true to God. So be careful, and do not break your promise to the wife you married when you were young.
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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. The Lord God of Israel says, "I hate divorce. And I hate people who do cruel things as easily as they put on clothes," says the Lord All-Powerful. So be careful. And do not break your trust.
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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 tired the Lord with your words. You ask, "How have we tired him?" You did it by saying, "The Lord thinks anyone who does evil is good, and he is pleased with them." Or you asked, "Where is the God who is fair?"
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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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