“And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to My Name, said the Lord of hosts: I will send poverty upon you and will curse your blessings, yes I will curse them because you have not taken My commandment to heart. Behold, I will give you the shoulder and will scatter upon your face the dung of your solemnities, and it shall sweep you away with it. Then you will know that I gave you this commandment, to affirm My intention to maintain My covenant with Levi, said the Lord of hosts.”

“My covenant was with him – a covenant of life and peace, these were what I gave him – a covenant of respect, and I gave him fear and he feared Me, he held My Name in awe. The law of truth was in his mouth and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with Me in peace and in equity, and turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of the priests should keep knowledge and the law should be on their mouths, because they are angels of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way and have caused many to stumble at the law: you have made void the covenant of Levi, said the Lord of hosts. Therefore, in My turn, I have made you contemptible and base before all people, because you have not kept My ways and been partial in applying My law.”

“Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created each one of us? Why then does every one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers? Judah has transgressed and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem: for Judah has profaned the holiness of the Lord, which He loved, and has married the daughter of a strange god. The Lord will cut off the man who has done this, both the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him who offers an offering to the Lord of hosts. And this again have you done, you have covered the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and bellowing, so that I have no more a regard to sacrifice, neither do I accept any atonement at your hands.”

“And you have said: For what cause? Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth whom you have despised: yet she was your partner and the wife of your covenant. Did not One make her and she is the residue of His Spirit? And what does one seek but the seed of God? Keep then your spirit and despise not the wife of your youth. When you shall hate her put her away, said the Lord God of Israel: but iniquity shalt cover his garment, said the Lord of hosts, keep your spirit and despise not. You have wearied the Lord with your words and you said: Wherein have we wearied Him? In that you say: Every one who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord and must please Him: or surely, where is the God of judgment?” (Mal. 2:1-17).