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“Now, you priests, this commandment is for you.
Verse 1. Priests. Such, hoarding up riches, dishonour God and his sacraments, as if they were temporal things to be purchased, and so they scandalize the weak. It would be well for them if they were reduced to poverty, (verse 2) and would repent, as they will otherwise be deprived of eternal goods, having received their wages in this world, like hirelings. John 10. Worthington.
If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to heart, to give glory to my name,” says the LORD of Armies, “then I will send the curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have cursed them already, because you do not take it to heart.
Verse 2. Blessings, riches. The priests also blessed the people. Numbers 6:23. Calmet.
Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and will spread dung on your faces, even the dung of your feasts; and you will be taken away with it.
Verse 3. Shoulder. I will cast away the shoulder, which in the law was appointed to be your portion, and fling it at you in my anger: and will reject both you and your festivals like dung. Challoner.—Hebrew now reads for shoulder, zerah, “grain,” or seed. Calmet.—“I will menace you with the shoulder, and will spread dirt on your faces, even the dirt of your feasts,” (Aquila) or “the ventricle of your festivals.” Septuagint Bible.
or, seed
You will know that I have sent this commandment to you, that my covenant may be with Levi,” says the LORD of Armies.
Verse 4. Levi. When this tribe was chosen does not appear. Some think that he alludes to the renewing of the covenant under Nehemias, which seems best. 2 Ezra 9:1. 38. I then promised you life, and so forth Calmet.
“My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him that he might be reverent toward me; and he was reverent toward me, and stood in awe of my name.
The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many away from iniquity.
For 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 Armies.
Verse 7. The angel, that is the minister and messenger. Challoner.—Priests must administer the sacraments, and likewise instruct the people, being God’s messengers. Worthington.—The Jews were well acquainted with the law. Jeremiah 18:18.—The priests had to decide most intricate cases. Deuteronomy 17:9 and 33:9. Calmet.—The sentence of the high priest was received like that of an angel. Diod. Sic. xl. apud Phol.—If such science was required under the old law, how much more is necessary in Christian priests, whose mysteries and duties are so much more important! Calmet.—Ignoratio scripturarum ignoratio Christi est. Saint Jerome in Is. & hic.
But you have turned away from the path. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Armies.
“Therefore I have also made you contemptible and wicked before all the people, according to the way you have not kept my ways, but have had respect for persons in the law.
Verse 9. People. If priests comply not with these high functions, they are despicable here, and condemned to eternal torments. Jude 11. Worthington.—Accepted. Hebrew “raised up faces,” instead of reproving the guilty. Deuteronomy 1:10. Leviticus 19:15.
Don’t we all have one father? Hasn’t one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Verse 10. Brother, in distress. 2 Ezra 5:1. S. Jerom mentions the tradition of the Jews, which supposed that the captives at their return dismissed their wives, and married young ones, though strangers. verse 11. But this is not probable. Such women were ordered to be dismissed. 1 Ezra 9:1. and 2 Ezra 13:23. Calmet.
Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god.
Verse 11. God, or one addicted to idol-worship, ( Bible.) which was contrary to the law. Deuteronomy 7:3. Calmet.—Septuagint “the holy things of the Lord, by what he has loved and done for strange gods.” Bible.
The LORD will cut off the man who does this, him who wakes and him who answers, out of the tents of Jacob and him who offers an offering to the LORD of Armies.
Verse 12. Master. Hebrew “the watcher, and him who answers,” on guard. Calmet.—Septuagint “doth such things, till he be tumbled out,” and so forth—Him. Septuagint “and out of those who offer a sacrifice to,” and so forth Such people shall be excluded from the society of God’s servants. Bible.
“This again you do: you cover the LORD’s altar with tears, with weeping, and with sighing, because he doesn’t regard the offering any more, neither receives it with good will at your hand.
Verse 13. With tears; that is by occasion of your wives, whom you have put away, and who came to weep and lament before the altar. Challoner.—Though divorces were tolerated, (Matthew 19:6) the more virtuous did not approve of them, particularly when a wife is put away who had been married in youth. See verse 10. Perhaps this corruption had crept in, like others, ( Calmet.) owing to the people’s commerce with strangers. Diod. in Photius.
Yet you say, ‘Why?’ Because the LORD has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and the wife of your covenant.
Verse 14. Covenant. The order established at first. Genesis 2:24. Proverbs 2:17. The parties promised fidelity to each other.
Did he not make you one, although he had the residue of the Spirit? Why one? He sought godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of his youth.
Verse 15. His spirit. Eve received a soul from God, like Adam. Hebrew “One (Abraham, Chal. styled one, Ezekiel 33:24) did it not, and he had the,” and so forth Septuagint vary. The text is very obscure. Calmet. See Cap. Crit. iv. p. 317. Grabe prol.—A strange god did not make women. The human race is best propagated, where polygamy and divorces are rejected. Bible.
One who hates and divorces”, says the LORD, the God of Israel, “covers his garment with violence!” says the LORD of Armies. “Therefore pay attention to your spirit, that you don’t be unfaithful.
Verse 16. Garment; that is of every man that putteth away his wife without just cause; notwithstanding that God permitted it in the law, to prevent the evil of murder. Challoner.—The original may receive this sense; or the woman must blame herself if she were hateful, (Deuteronomy 24:1) and the man acted not treacherously. Calmet.—Septuagint “iniquity shall cover your thoughts.” Bible.—It should be “garments,” ενδυματα, though S. Jerom and the printed edit. read ενθυμηματα, ( Calmet.) “thoughts.” The first part contains the objection, and the second God’s reply. Saint Jerome Bible.
You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the LORD’s sight, and he delights in them;’ or ‘Where is the God of justice?’
Verse 17. Judgment. Being scandalized at the prosperity of the wicked, ( Bible.) they deny Providence. Psalms 72. Jeremiah 12. Calmet.—Yet the wicked are left for wise purposes, either for their amendment, or for the trial of the just. Saint Augustine Ps. liv.—Those who are offended at their present success, ( Bible.) think not of judgment nor of eternal goods. Saint Jerome