Malachi 2:7

2:7 For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge of sacred things, and people should seek instruction from him ¹  because he is the messenger of the Lord who rules over all.

Malachi 2:13

2:13 You also do this: You cover the altar of the Lord with tears ²  as you weep and groan, because he no longer pays any attention to the offering nor accepts it favorably from you.

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¹ tn Heb “from his mouth” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV).

² sn You cover the altar of the Lord with tears. These tears are the false tears of hypocrisy, not genuine tears of repentance. The people weep because the Lord will not hear them, not because of their sin.