¹众祭司 啊，这诫命 是传给你们的。

¹And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

¹ CHAPTER II

The priests reproved for their unfaithfulness in their office,

for which they are threatened to be deprived of their share of

the sacrifice, (the shoulder,) and rewarded only with ignominy

and ordure, 1-3.

The degeneracy of the order is then complained of, and they are

again threatened, 4-9.

The rest of the chapter reproves the people for marrying

strange and idolatrous women; and multiplying divorces, with

all their consequent distress, in order to make way for such

illicit alliances, 10-17.

See Ne 10:30; 13:27-30, &c.

NOTES ON CHAP. II

²万军 之耶和华 说 ：你们若不听从 ，也不放 在心 上，将荣耀 归与 我的名 ，我就使 咒诅 临到你们，使你们的福份 变为咒诅 ；因你们不把诫命放 在心 上，我已经咒诅 你们了。

²If 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.

² Verse 2. If ye will not hear] What I have spoken, lay it to

heart, and let it sink down into your souls.



Give glory unto my name] That honour that is due to me as a

Father, and that fear that belongs to me as a Master, Mal 1:6.



I will even send a curse upon you] I will dispense no more good.



I will curse your blessings] Even that which ye have already

shall not profit you. When temporal blessings are not the means of

leading us to God and heaven, they will infallibly lead us to

hell. In speaking of the abuse of temporal blessings, one of our

old poets, in his homely phrase, expresses himself thus,-

Thus God's best gifts, usurped by wicked ones,

To poison turn by their con-ta-gi-ons.

Yea, I have cursed them already] This may refer, generally, to

unfruitful seasons; or, particularly, to a dearth that appears

to have happened about this time. See Hag 1:6-11.

³我必斥责 你们的种子 ，又把你们牺牲 的粪 抹 在你们的脸 上；你们要与粪 一同除掉 。

³Behold, 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.^{a, b, c}

³ Verse 3. Behold, I will corrupt your seed] So as to render it

unfruitful. Newcome translates,-"I will take away from you the

shoulder." This was the part that belonged to the priest,

Le 7:32; De 18:3.



Spread dung upon your faces] Instead of receiving a sacrifice at

your hands, I will throw your offerings back into your faces. Here

God shows his contempt for them and their offerings.

⁴你们就知道 我传 这诫命 给你们，使我与利未 （或译：利未人）所立的约 可以常存。这是万军 之耶和华 说 的。

⁴And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

⁴ Verse 4. This commandment] That in the first verse; to drive

such priests from his presence and his service.



That my covenant might be with Levi] I gave the priesthood and

the service of my altar to that tribe.

⁵我曾与他立生命 和平安 的约 。我将这两样赐给 他，使他存敬畏 的心，他就敬畏 我，惧怕 我的名 。

⁵My 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.

⁵ Verse 5. My covenant was with him of life and peace] These are

the two grand blessings given to men by the NEW Covenant, which

was shadowed by the OLD. To man, excluded from the favour of God,

and sentenced to death because of sin, God gave berith, a

covenant sacrifice, and this secured life-exemption from the

death deserved by transgressors; communication of that inward

spiritual life given by Christ, and issuing in that eternal life

promised to all his faithful disciples. And, as it secured life,

so it gave peace, prosperity, and happiness; peace between God and

man, between man and man, and between man and his own conscience.

⁶真实 的律法 在他口 中，他嘴 里没有 不义 的话。他以平安 和正直 与我同行 ，使多 人回头 离开 罪孽 。

⁶The 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.

⁶ Verse 6. The law of truth was in his mouth] See the

qualifications of Levi: 1. "He feared me;" he was my sincere

worshipper. 2. "He was afraid;" he acted as in the presence of a

just and holy God, and acted conscientiously in all that he did.

3. "My law of truth was ever in his mouth; " by this he directed

his own conduct and that of others. 4. "No iniquity; " nothing

contrary to justice and equity ever proceeded "from his lips." 5.

"He walked with me in peace;" he lived in such a way as to keep up

union with me. 6. "He did turn many away from iniquity;" by his

upright administration, faithful exhortations, and pious walk, he

became the instrument of converting many sinners. This character

suits every genuine minister of God. And as the priest's lips

should preserve knowledge, so the people should seek "the law at

his mouth;" for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts,

Mal 2:7.

⁷祭司 的嘴 里当存 知识 ，人也当由他口 中寻求 律法 ，因为他是万军 之耶和华 的使者 。

⁷For 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.

⁸你们却偏离 正道 ，使许多 人在律法 上跌倒 。你们废弃 我与利未 所立的约 。这是万军 之耶和华 说 的。

⁸But 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.^d

⁸ Verse 8. But ye are departed out of the way] Ye are become

impure yourselves, and ye have led others into iniquity.

⁹所以我使 你们被众人 藐视 ，看为下贱 ；因 你们不守 我的道 ，竟在律法 上瞻徇情面 。

⁹Therefore 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.^e

⁹ Verse 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible] The people

despised you because they saw that you acted contrary to your

functions. This has happened repeatedly since, to several classes

of priests. Not maintaining, by purity of life and soundness of

doctrine, the dignity of the ministerial function, they became

contemptible before the people; their meager preaching was

disregarded, and their persons at last cast out as a general

loathing to the universe! See what happened to the truly

abominable priesthood of France and Rome 1796-8. They were the

sole cause of that infidelity that brought about the revolution.

They are now partially restored; and are endeavouring to supply by

grimace, paltry superstition, and jesuitical cunning, what they

want in purity of morals, soundness of doctrine, and unction from

God. They must mend, or look for another revolution. Mankind will

no longer put up with the chaff of puerile and fanatical

ceremonies in place of the wheat of God's word and worship.

¹⁰我们岂不都是一 位父 么？岂不是一 位神 所造 的么？我们各人 怎么以诡诈 待弟兄 ，背弃 了神与我们列祖 所立的约 呢？

¹⁰Have 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?

¹⁰ Verse 10. Have we not all one Father?] From this to Mal 2:16

the prophet censures the marriages of Israelites with strange

women, which the law had forbidden, De 7:3. And also

divorces, which seem to have been multiplied for the purpose of

contracting these prohibited marriages.-Newcome.



Why do we deal treacherously] Gain the affections of the

daughter of a brother Jew, and then profane the covenant of

marriage, held sacred among our fathers, by putting away this

same wife and daughter! How wicked, cruel, and inhuman!

¹¹犹大人 行事诡诈 ，并且在以色列 和耶路撒冷 中行 一件可憎 的事；因为犹大 人亵渎 耶和华 所喜爱 的圣洁 （或译：圣地），娶 事奉外邦 神 的女子 为妻。

¹¹ ¶ Judah 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.^f

¹¹ Verse 11. Daughter of a strange god.] Of a man who worships an

idol.

¹²凡行 这事的，无论何人 （何人：原文是叫醒的，答应的），就是献 供物 给万军 之耶和华 ，耶和华 也必从雅各 的帐棚 中剪除 他。

¹²The 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.^g

¹² Verse 12. The master and the scholar] He who teachers such

doctrine, and he who follows this teaching, the Lord will cut off

both the one and the other.

¹³你们又 行 了一件这样的事，使前妻歎息 哭泣 的眼泪 遮盖 耶和华 的坛 ，以致耶和华不再看顾 那供物 ，也不乐意 从你们手 中收纳 。

¹³And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

¹³ Verse 13. Covering the altar of the Lord with tears] Of the poor

women who, being divorced by cruel husbands, come to the priests,

and make an appeal to God at the altar; and ye do not speak

against this glaring injustice.

¹⁴你们还说 ：这是为甚么 呢？因耶和华 在你和你幼年 所娶的妻 中间作见证 。他虽是你的配偶 ，又是你盟约 的妻 ，你却以诡诈 待他。

¹⁴ ¶ Yet 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.

¹⁴ Verse 14. Ye say, Wherefore?] Is the Lord angry with us? Because

ye have been witness of the contract made between the parties; and

when the lawless husband divorced his wife, the wife of his youth,

his companion, and the wife of his covenant, ye did not execute on

him the discipline of the law. They kept their wives till they had

passed their youth, and then put them away, that they might get

young ones in their place.

¹⁵虽然神有灵 的余力 能造多人，他不是单造 一 人么？为何只造一 人呢？乃是他愿人得 虔诚 的后裔 。所以当谨守 你们的心 ，谁也不可以诡诈 待幼年 所娶的妻 。

¹⁵And 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.^{h, i, j}

¹⁵ Verse 15. And did not he make one?] ONE of each kind, Adam and

Eve. Yet had he the residue of the Spirit; he could have made

millions of pairs, and inspired them all with living souls. Then

wherefore one? He made one pair from whom all the rest might

proceed, that he might have a holy offspring; that children being

a marked property of one man and one woman, proper care might be

taken that they should be brought up in the discipline of the

Lord. Perhaps the holy or godly seed, zera Elohim, a

seed of God, may refer to the MESSIAH. God would have the whole

human race to spring from one pair, that Christ, springing from

the same family, might in his sufferings taste death for every

man; because he had that nature that was common to the whole

human race. Had there been several heads of families in the

beginning, Jesus must have been incarnated from each of those

heads, else his death could have availed for those only who

belonged to the family of which he was incarnated.



Take heed to your spirit] Scrutinize the motives which induce

you to put away your wives.

¹⁶耶和华 ―以色列 的神 说 ：休 妻的事和以强暴 待 妻的人都是我所恨恶 的！所以当谨守 你们的心 ，不可行诡诈 。这是万军 之耶和华 说 的。

¹⁶For 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.^{k, l}

¹⁶ Verse 16. For the Lord-hateth putting away] He abominates all

such divorces, and him that makes them.



Covereth violence with his garment] And he also notes those who

frame idle excuses to cover the violence they have done to the

wives of their youth, by putting them away, and taking others in

their place, whom they now happen to like better, when their own

wives have been worn down in domestic services.

¹⁷你们用言语 烦琐 耶和华 ，你们还说 ：我们在何事上烦琐 他呢？因为你们说 ：凡行 恶 的，耶和华 眼 看为善 ，并且他喜悦 他们；或说：公义 的神 在那里呢？

¹⁷ ¶ Ye 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?

¹⁷ Verse 17. Ye have wearied the Lord] He has borne with you so

long, and has been provoked so often, that he will bear it no

longer. It is not fit that he should.



Every one that doeth evil] Ye say that it is right in the sight

of the Lord to put away a wife, because she has no longer found

favour in the sight of her husband. And because it has not been

signally punished hitherto, ye blaspheme and cry out, "Where is

the God of judgment?" Were he such as he is represented, would he

not speak out? All these things show that this people were

horribly corrupt. The priests were bad; the prophets were bad; the

Levites were bad; and no wonder that the people were irreligious,

profane, profligate, and cruel.