¹² “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.^(A)

2 And now, O priests, this command is for you. ² If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings; indeed, I have already cursed them^[a] because you do not lay it to heart.^{(A) 3} I will rebuke your offspring and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence.^[b]

⁴ Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the Lord of hosts.^{(B) 5} My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.^{(C) 6} True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.^{(D) 7} For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.^{(E) 8} But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts,^{(F) 9} so I make you despised and humbled before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction.^(G)

The Covenant Profaned by Judah

¹⁰ Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors?^(H)

⁵ Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.^(A)

The Two Foundations

⁴⁶ “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?^(A)