"So you shall cometo the Leviticalpriestor the judgewhois [in office] in thosedays,and you shall inquire[of them] and they will declareto you the verdictin the case.
As for the Izharites,Chenaniahand his sonswere [assigned] to outsidedutiesfor Israel,as officersand judges.
"Whenthey havea dispute,it comesto me, and I judgebetweena manand his neighborand makeknownthe statutesof Godand His laws."
"Ifthe thiefis not caught,then the ownerof the houseshall appearbeforethe judges,[to] determine whetherhe laidhis handson his neighbor'sproperty.
Then they said,"Comeand let us deviseplansagainstJeremiah.Surelythe lawis not going to be lostto the priest,norcounselto the sage,northe [divine] wordto the prophet!Comeon and let us strikeat him with [our] tongue,and let us givenoheedto anyof his words."
"In a disputethey shall taketheir standto judge;they shall judgeit according to My ordinances.They shall also keepMy lawsand My statutesin allMy appointedfeastsand sanctifyMy sabbaths.
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,Asknowthe priests[for] a ruling:
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,'Ifyou will walkin My waysand ifyou will performMy service,then you will alsogovernMy houseand alsohavechargeof My courts,and I will grantyou freeaccessamongthesewho are standing[here].
speakingto the priestswhobelong to the houseof the LORDof hosts,and to the prophets,saying,"Shall I weepin the fifthmonthand abstain,as I have donethesemanyyears?"
"For the lipsof a priestshould preserveknowledge,and men should seekinstructionfrom his mouth;for he is the messengerof the LORDof hosts.
"You shall appointfor yourself judgesand officersin allyour townswhichthe LORDyour Godis givingyou, according to your tribes,and they shall judgethe peoplewith righteousjudgment.
"You shall doaccordingto the termsof the verdictwhichthey declareto you from that placewhichthe LORDchooses;and you shall be carefulto observeaccording to allthat they teachyou.
"Then the priests,the sonsof Levi,shall comenear,for the LORDyour Godhas chosenthem to serveHim and to blessin the nameof the LORD;and everydisputeand everyassaultshall be settledby them.
"Ifthere is a disputebetweenmenand they goto court,and the judgesdecidetheir case, and they justifythe righteousand condemnthe wicked,
"They shall teachYour ordinancesto Jacob,And Your lawto Israel.They shall putincensebeforeYou, And wholeburntofferingson Your altar.
