The Broken Covenants

Malachi 2

The Lord warns the priests that he will send a curse upon them for corrupting the covenant of Levi, failing to keep knowledge, and causing many to stumble through partial teaching of the law. He then rebukes the people for profaning the covenant of their fathers by forsaking the wife of their youth, reminding them that one God made them all as brothers.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonNOW therefore this command is for you, O priests.

BrentonAnd now, O priests, this commandment is to you.

GreekΚαὶ νῦν ἡ ἐντολὴ αὕτη πρὸς ὑμᾶς οἱ ἱερεῖς.

KJVAnd now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

JPSAnd now, this commandment Is for you, O ye priests.

ThomsonIf you will not hearken and if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to My name, saith the Lord Almighty, I will send that curse against you and curse your blessing. I will curse it, and disperse your blessing, and it shall not be among you because you do not lay this to heart.

BrentonIf ye will not hearken, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, saith the Lord Almighty, then I will send forth the curse upon you, and I will bring a curse upon your blessing: yea, I will curse it, and I will scatter your blessing, and it shall not exist among you, because ye lay not this to heart.

GreekἘὰν μὴ ἀκούσητε, καὶ ἐὰν μὴ θῆσθε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ὑμῶν, τοῦ δοῦναι δόξαν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ· καὶ ἐξαποστελῶ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς τὴν κατάραν, καὶ ἐπικαταράσομαι τὴν εὐλογίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ καταράσομαι αὐτήν· καὶ διασκεδάσω τὴν εὐλογίαν ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ὑμεῖς οὐ τίθεσθε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν ὑμῶν.

KJVIf ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even 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.

JPSIf ye will not hearken, and if ye will not lay it to heart, To give glory unto My name, Saith the LORD of hosts, Then will I send the curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings; Yea, I curse them, Because ye do not lay it to heart.

ThomsonBehold, I turn away from you, now I will scatter dung on your faces—[even] the offal of your festivals, and put you with it.

BrentonBehold, I turn my back upon you, and I will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts, and I will carry you away at the same time.

GreekἸδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀφορίζω ὑμῖν τὸν ὦμον, καὶ σκορπιῶ ἔνυστρον ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσωπα ὑμῶν, ἔνυστρον ἑορτῶν, ὑμῶν, καὶ λήψομαι ὑμᾶς εἰς τὸ αὐτό·

KJVBehold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces, even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with it.

JPSBehold, I will rebuke the seed for your hurt, And will spread dung upon your faces, Even the dung of your sacrifices; And ye shall be taken away unto it.

ThomsonNow you must know, since I sent this command to you to be My covenant with the Levites, saith the Lord Almighty,

BrentonAnd ye shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant might be with the sons of Levi, saith the Lord Almighty.

GreekΚαὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε διότι ἐγὼ ἐξαπέσταλκα πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην, τοῦ εἶναι τὴν διαθήκην μου πρὸς τοὺς Λευίτας, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ.

KJVAnd ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

JPSKnow then that I have sent This commandment unto you, That My covenant might be with Levi, Saith the LORD of hosts.

Thomsonthat My covenant of life and peace was with him; and I gave it to him that I might be greatly feared, and that he might be awed at My name.

BrentonMy covenant of life and peace was with him, and I gave it him that he might reverently fear me, and that he might be awe-struck at my name.

GreekἩ διαθήκη μου ἦν μετʼ αὐτοῦ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῆς εἰρήνης, καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῷ ἐν φόβῳ φοβεῖσθαί με, καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου ὀνόματός μου στέλλεσθαι αὐτόν·

KJVMy covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

JPSMy covenant was with him Of life and peace, and I gave them to him, And of fear, and he feared Me, And was afraid of My name.

ThomsonThe law of truth was in his mouth: and iniquity should not have been found in his lips. Walking uprightly with Me in peace, he indeed turned many from iniquity.

BrentonThe law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked before me directing his way in peace, and he turned many from unrighteousness.

Greekνόμος ἀληθείας ἦν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀδικία οὐχ εὑρέθη ἐν χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ· ἐν εἰρήνῃ κατευθύνων ἐπορεύθη μετʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ πολλοὺς ἐπέστρεψεν ἀπὸ ἀδικίας.

KJVThe law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.

JPSThe law of truth was in his mouth, And unrighteousness was not found in his lips; He walked with Me in peace and uprightness, And did turn many away from iniquity.

ThomsonBecause the lips of a priest were to keep knowledge, therefore law was to be sought from his mouth, since he is a messenger of the Lord Almighty.

BrentonFor the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty.

GreekὍτι χείλη ἱερέως φυλάξεται γνῶσιν, καὶ νόμον ἐκζητήσουσιν ἐκ στόματος αὐτοῦ, διότι ἄγγελος Κυρίου παντοκράτορός ἐστιν.

KJVFor the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

JPSFor the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, And they should seek the law at his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

ThomsonBut as for you, you have turned aside out of the way and weakened many by law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord Almighty,

BrentonBut ye have turned aside from the way, and caused many to fail in following the law: ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the Lord Almighty.

GreekὙμεῖς δὲ ἐξεκλίνατε ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ, καὶ ἠσθενήσατε πολλοὺς ἐν νόμῳ, διεφθείρατε τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ Λευὶ, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ.

KJVBut ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

JPSBut ye are turned aside out of the way; Ye have caused many to stumble in the law; Ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, Saith the LORD of hosts.

Thomsontherefore I have made you contemptible and outcasts among all the nations, because you did not keep My ways, but in law have had respect to persons.

BrentonAnd I have made you despised and cast out among all the people, because ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

GreekΚᾀγὼ δέδωκα ὑμᾶς ἐξουδενωμένους καὶ ἀπεῤῥιμμένους εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ἀνθʼ ὧν ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἐφυλάξασθε τὰς ὁδούς μου, ἀλλὰ ἐλαμβάνετε πρόσωπα ἐν νόμῳ.

KJVTherefore have I 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.

JPSTherefore have I also made you Contemptible and base before all the people, According as ye have not kept My ways, But have had respect of persons in the law.

ThomsonHave you not all one Father? Hath not one God created you? Why then have you forsaken everyone his brother? For profaning the covenant of your fathers,

BrentonHave ye not all one father? Did not one God create you? why have ye forsaken every man his brother, to profane the covenant of your fathers?

GreekΟὐχὶ πατὴρ εἷς πάντων ὑμῶν; οὐχὶ Θεὸς εἷς ἔκτισεν ὑμᾶς; τί ὅτι ἐγκατελίπετε ἕκαστος τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ, τοῦ βεβηλῶσαι τὴν διαθήκην τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν;

KJVHave we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

JPSHave we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, Profaning the covenant of our fathers?

ThomsonJuda was forsaken. There was indeed abomination in Israel and in Jerusalem, because Juda profaned the holy things of the Lord in which He delighted and studiously went after strange gods.

BrentonJuda has been forsaken, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Juda has profaned the holy things of the Lord, which he delighted in, and has gone after other gods.

GreekἘνκατελείφθη Ἰούδας, καὶ βδέλυγμα ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐν Ἱερουσαλὴμ, διότι ἐβεβήλωσεν Ἰούδας τὰ ἅγια Κυρίου, ἐν οἷς ἠγάπησε, καὶ ἐπετήδευσεν εἰς θεοὺς ἀλλοτρίους.

KJVJudah hath dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the daughter of a strange god.

JPSJudah hath dealt treacherously, And an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; For Judah hath profaned the holiness of the LORD which He loveth, And hath married the daughter of a strange god.

ThomsonThe Lord will cut off the man who doth such things until he be humbled from the dwellings of Jacob and from among them who offer a sacrifice to, the Lord Almighty.

BrentonThe Lord will utterly destroy the man that does these things, until he be even cast down from out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and from among them that offer sacrifice to the Lord Almighty.

GreekἘξολοθρεύσει Κύριος τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸν ποιοῦντα ταῦτα, ἕως καὶ ταπεινωθῇ ἐκ σκηνωμάτων Ἰακὼβ, καὶ ἐκ προσαγόντων θυσίαν τῷ κυρίῳ παντοκράτορι.

KJVThe LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an offering unto the LORD of hosts.

JPS—

ThomsonMoreover, you have done those things which I hate. You have covered the altar of the Lord with tears. And amidst lamentations and groans for oppression is it still proper to look upon a sacrifice, or receive it acceptably at your hands?

BrentonAnd these things which I hated, ye did: ye covered with tears the altar of the Lord, and with weeping and groaning because of troubles: is it meet for me to have respect to your sacrifice, or to receive anything from your hands as welcome?

GreekΚαὶ ταῦτα, ἃ ἔμισουν, ἐποιεῖτε· ἐκαλύπτετε δάκρυσι τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου, καὶ κλαυθμῷ καὶ στεναγμῷ ἐκ κόπων· ἔτι ἄξιον ἐπιβλέψαι εἰς θυσίαν, ἢ λαβεῖν δεκτὸν ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν;

KJV—

JPS—

ThomsonAnd do you say, Why not? Because God was a witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, whom thou hast forsaken though she was thy companion and the wife of thy covenant.

BrentonYet ye said, Wherefore? Because the Lord has borne witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, whom thou hast forsaken, and yet she was thy partner, and the wife of thy covenant.

GreekΚαὶ εἴπατε, ἕνεκεν τίνος; ὅτι Κύριος διεμαρτύρατο ἀναμέσον σου, καὶ ἀναμέσον γυναικὸς νεότητός σου, ἣν ἐγκατέλιπες, καὶ αὕτη κοινωνός σου, καὶ γυνὴ διαθήκης σου.

KJVYet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

JPSYet ye say: ‘Wherefore?’ Because the LORD hath been witness Between thee and the wife of thy youth, Against whom thou hast dealt treacherously, Though she is thy companion, And the wife of thy covenant.

ThomsonNow did not He do right? and there was the residue of His Spirit. Yet you have said, What else but a seed [to carry on His people] doth God require? But keep this in your mind: Thou must not forsake the wife of thy youth.

BrentonAnd did he not do well? and there was the residue of his spirit. But ye said, What does God seek but a seed? But take ye heed to your spirit, and forsake not the wife of thy youth.

GreekΚαὶ οὐ καλὸν ἐποίησε; καὶ ὑπόλειμμα πνεύματος αὐτοῦ· καὶ εἴπατε, τί ἄλλο ἢ σπέρμα ζητεῖ ὁ Θεός; καὶ φυλάξασθε ἐν τῷ πνεύματι ὑμῶν, καὶ γυναῖκα νεότητός σου μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς.

KJVAnd did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

JPSAnd not one hath done so Who had exuberance of spirit! For what seeketh the one? A seed given of God. Therefore take heed to your spirit, And let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.

ThomsonBut if thou having hated [her] shalt put [her] away—saith the Lord God of Israel, then will impiety, saith the Lord Almighty, put a cloak over thy lusts. Therefore keep this in your mind: You must not forsake.

BrentonBut if thou shouldest hate thy wife and put her away, saith the Lord God of Israel, then ungodliness shall cover thy thoughts, saith the Lord Almighty: therefore take ye heed to your spirit, and forsake them not,

GreekἈλλὰ ἐὰν μισήσας ἐξαποστείλῃς, λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ καλύψει ἀσέβεια ἐπὶ τὰ ἐνθυμήματά σου, λέγει Κύριος παντοκράτωρ. καὶ φυλάξασθε ἐν τῷ πνεύματι ὑμῶν, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπητε

KJVFor the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

JPSFor I hate putting away, Saith the LORD, the God of Israel, And him that covereth his garment with violence, Saith the LORD of hosts; Therefore take heed to your spirit, That ye deal not treacherously.

ThomsonYou have provoked God with your sayings. And do you ask, By what have we provoked Him? By your saying, Every one doing evil doth that which is good in the sight of the Lord. Now were He well pleased with such, where then is the God of Righteousness?

Brentonye that have provoked God with your words. But ye said, Wherein have we provoked him? In that ye say, Every one that does evil is a pleasing object in the sight of the Lord, and he takes pleasure in such; and where is the God of justice?

Greekοἱ παροξύναντες τὸν Θεὸν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ὑμῶν· καὶ εἴπατε, ἐν τίνι παρωξύναμεν αὐτόν; ἐν τῷ λέγειν ὑμᾶς, πᾶς ποιῶν πονηρὸν, καλὸν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς αὐτὸς εὐδόκησε, καί ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δικαιοσύνης;

KJVYe have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

JPSYe have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say: ‘Wherein have we wearied Him?’ In that ye say: ‘Every one that doeth evil Is good in the sight of the LORD, And He delighteth in them; Or where is the God of justice?’