The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ Threatenynges agaynste the Prestes beinge seducers of the people.

CAPI. II.

ANd nowe (O ye prestes (this cōmaun∣demente [unspec A] toucheth you: yf ye wyll not heare it, nor regard it / to geue the glory vn∣to my name, saieth the Lorde of hoostes, ‡ 1.1 I wyll sende a curse vpon you, and wyl curse youre blessynges: yee, curse them wyll I yf ye do not take hede. Beholde, I shall cor∣rupte youre sede, and cast donge in your fa∣ces / euen the donge of your solempne fea∣stes and it shall cleue faste vpon you. And ye shall knowe, that I haue sente this com∣maundement vnto you: that my * 1.2 couenaūt whiche I made with Leui / myghte stande sayeth the Lorde of hostes.

I made a couenaunt of lyfe & peace with [unspec B] him: this I gaue him, that he myght stande in awe of me: and so he dyd feare me, & had my name in reuerence. The lawe of trueth was in his mouth / & there was no wycked∣nesse founde in his lyppes. He walked with me in peace and equyte, and dyd turne ma∣ny one awaye from theyr synnes. * 1.3 For the prestes lyppes shulde be sure knowledge / y^• men may seke the lawe at his mouth / for he is a messaunger of the Lorde of hostes. But as for you, ye are gone clene out of the way, & haue caused the multytude to be offended at the lawe: * 1.4 ye haue broken the couenaūte of Leui, sayeth the Lorde of hoostes. Ther∣fore wyl I also make you to be despysed, and to be of no reputacyon amonge all the peo∣ple: because ye haue not kept my wayes, but haue bene percyall in the lawe.

* 1.5 Haue we not all one father (Hath not one God made vs? * 1.6 why doth euery one of vs thē despyse hys owne brother / & so brea∣ke [unspec C] the couenaunt of our fathers? Now hath Iuda offēded: yee, y^• abhomynacyō is done in Israel & in Ierusalē ‡ 1.7 for Iuda hath defi led the Sāctuary of y^• Lord, which he loued, and hathe kepte the daughter of a straunge God, But the lorde shal destroy the mā that doth this: (yee, both the master & the scoler) out of the tabernacle of Iacob, with hym y^• offreth vp meatoffring vnto the Lorde of hostes. Now haue ye brought it to th{is} point agayne, that the aulter of the Lord is coue∣red with teres, wepyng & mourning so that I wyll nomore regarde the meat offeringe / nether wil I receaue or accept any thyng at your hādes. And yet ye say: wherfore? Euen because that wher as the Lord made a coue naūt betwixt the and thy wyfe of thy youth, thou hast despysed. * 1.8 Yet is she thyne owne companyon and maryed wyfe.

So dyd not the one / and yet had he an ex / [unspec D] cellent spryte? What dyd then the one? He sought the sede promysed of God. Therfore loke well to your spryte / and let no man de∣spyse the wyfe of his youth. If y^• hatest her * 1.9 put her awaye / saieth y^• Lorde God of Is∣raell and geue her clothynge for the scorne / sayeth the Lorde of hostes. Loke well then to youre sprite, and despise her not. Ye greue the Lorde with youre wordes, & yet ye saye: wherwith all haue we greued him? In this that ye say. All that do euyll are good in the syght of God / and suche please him. Or els where is the God that punysheth?

Notes

• ‡ 1.1

  Deut▪ 〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.2

  〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.3

  〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.4

  Deut. 〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.5

  Eph. iiii. ••.
• * 1.6

  〈…〉〈…〉 vii •• 〈…〉〈…〉▪ c.
• ‡ 1.7

  ••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ix. a ••••ui. xxi. ••▪
• * 1.8

  Gene. ii. d.
• * 1.9

  P••nt. 24. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. iii. ••.