HEATHEN MARRIAGE.

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My covenant should be with Levi, saith Jehovah of Hosts.

My covenant was with him (aforetime) life and welfare; and I gave him fear that he might fear Me, and stand in awe of My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, and evil was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in welfare and uprightness, and converted many from guilt. For the priest's lips keep knowledge, and men seek instruction at his mouth; for he is a messenger of Jehovah of Hosts. But ye are turned aside from the way; ye have caused many to stumble by your teaching; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith Jehovah of Hosts. Therefore I also have made you despised and base to all the people, according as ye have not kept My ways, but have taught with respect of persons.

(And concerning marriage with heathen women, and concerning divorce spake the prophet, saying :)

Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deceive one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers? Judah hath been deceitful, and abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem. For Judah hath profaned the sanctuary of Jehovah, which He loveth, and married the daughter of a strange god. May Jehovah cut off the man that doeth this, whosoever he be, out of the tents of Jacob, even though he offer oblation to Jehovah of Hosts!

And that which I hate ye do, causing Jehovah's altar to be covered with tears, weeping, and sighing, so that He regardeth not the offering, neither receiveth it with good-will at your hand.

And if ye say, Wherefore?

Because Jehovah hath been witness between thee and

the wife of thy youth, whom thou hast deceived, who was thy companion, and thy covenant wife. divorce, saith Jehovah, the God of Israel.

For I hate

(And because they said, Jehovah hath forsaken us, and we have served Him; yet they wrought deeds evil in His sight; therefore spake the prophet, saying :) Ye have wearied Jehovah with your words.

If ye say, Wherein have we wearied Him?

By saying, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of Jehovah, and He is pleased with them; or, Where is the God of judgment?

Behold, I send My messenger, who prepareth the way before Me. And there cometh suddenly unto His temple the Lord, whom ye seek. As for the messenger of the covenant, in whom ye delight, behold, He cometh, saith Jehovah of Hosts. And who shall abide the day of His coming? And who shall stand when He appeareth? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap. And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and purify the sons of Levi, and purge them like gold and silver, that they may offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness. And the offering of Judah and Jerusalem shall be pleasant unto Jehovah, as in days of old, and as in years gone by. And I will come to you for judgment, and be a swift witness against sorcerers, and adulterers, and false swearers, and those that oppress the hireling, the widow, and the fatherless, and that cheat the stranger, and fear not Me, saith Jehovah of Hosts.

(And because the land prospered not, spake the prophet, saying :)

Turn unto Me, and I will turn unto you, saith Jehovah of Hosts.

THE FAITHFUL.

If ye say, Wherein shall we turn?

Should a man rob God? Yet ye rob Me.
If ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee?

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In tithes and offerings. With the curse are ye cursed, since ye have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be meat in Mine house, and prove Me now herewith, saith Jehovah of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing without measure; and rebuke him that devoureth you, that he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; and that the vine of your field shall not cast her fruit before the time, saith Jehovah of Hosts. And all nations shall count you happy; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith Jehovah of Hosts.

(And because men doubted of Jehovah, whether there were profit in serving Him, spake the prophet, saying:) Your words have been violent against Me, saith Jehovah. If ye say, Wherein have we spoken against Thee?

Ye have said, It is vain to serve God, and, What profit is it that we have served His service, and walked as suppliants before Jehovah of Hosts? Therefore we count the self-willed happy; yea, the workers of wickedness are built up; yea, they have tempted God, and are safe.

But they that feared Jehovah spake with one another; and Jehovah hearkened, and heard, and a memorial was written before Him, of them that feared Jehovah, and that thought upon His name; who shall be My possession, saith Jehovah of Hosts, in the day that I make; whom I will spare, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. And ye shall again see a separation of the righteous and the wicked, of him that serveth God and him that hath not served Him.

For, behold, the day cometh, burning as a furnace; and all the self-willed, and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; whom the day that cometh shall burn, saith Jehovah of Hosts, that it leave them neither root nor branch. But for you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol like stalled cattle. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I make, saith Jehovah of Hosts.

(And because men should repent before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come, therefore spake the prophet, saying :)

Behold, I send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come; who shall turn the heart of the fathers and the children, and the heart of the children and their fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with utter destruction.

Remember the law of Moses My servant, unto whom I commanded in Horeb statutes and decisions for all Israel.

CHAPTER IX.

DEUTERONOMY, vii. EZRA, iv., vii.-x.

EZRA AND THE FOREIGN WIVES.

Building the City Walls-Complaint of the Samaritans-The Work Stopped-Ezra the Scribe-He Petitions Artaxerxes-Receives a Royal Commission-Gathers a Party of Exiles-The Journey to Jerusalem-Foreign Wives-Ezra's Consternation-His Prayer— Advice of Shecaniah—An Assembly Called-A Commission Appointed—Foreign Wives Put Away.

Now after many years, in the reign of Xerxes (Ahasuerus), in the beginning of his reign, the people of the land (the Samaritans) wrote a complaint against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. Again, in the days of Artaxerxes (Artahshashta), Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal brought over and set in the cities of Samaria, and elsewhere west of the Euphrates, wrote a letter concerning Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes after this manner: Thy servants, the men beyond the river, and so forth. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews who came up from thee are come to us. They are building Jerusalem, the rebellious and bad city, and restoring the walls, and repairing the fortifications. Now be it known unto the king, that if this city be built, and its walls restored, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will endamage the kings. Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king's dis