"But the Leviteswhowentfarfrom Me when Israelwentastray,whowentastrayfrom Me aftertheir idols,shall bearthe punishmentfor their iniquity.
Cainsaidto the LORD,"My punishmentis toogreatto bear!
"For our kings,our leaders,our priestsand our fathershave not keptYour lawOr paidattentionto Your commandmentsand Your admonitionswith whichYou have admonishedthem.
For my iniquitiesare goneovermy head;As a heavyburdenthey weightoomuchfor me.
Ifthe righteouswill be rewardedin the earth,Howmuchmorethe wickedand the sinner!
As a resultof the anguishof His soul,He will see[it and] be satisfied;By His knowledgethe RighteousOne,My Servant,will justifythe many,As He will beartheir iniquities.
"For bothprophetand priestare polluted;Evenin My houseI have foundtheir wickedness,"declaresthe LORD.
in orderthat the houseof Israelmay nolongerstrayfrom Me and nolongerdefilethemselves with alltheir transgressions.Thus they will be My people,and I shall be their God,"' declaresthe LordGOD."
"Her priestshave doneviolenceto My lawand have profanedMy holythings;they have madenodistinctionbetweenthe holyand the profane,and they have not taughtthe difference betweenthe uncleanand the clean;and they hidetheir eyesfrom My sabbaths,and I am profanedamongthem.
"Becausethey ministeredto them beforetheir idolsand becamea stumblingblockof iniquityto the houseof Israel,thereforeI have swornagainstthem," declaresthe LordGOD,"that they shall bear[the punishmentfor] their iniquity.
"But the Leviticalpriests,the sonsof Zadok,whokeptchargeof My sanctuarywhen the sonsof Israelwentastrayfrom Me, shall comenearto Me to ministerto Me; and they shall standbeforeMe to offerMe the fatand the blood,"declaresthe LordGOD.
"[It shall be] for the priestswho are sanctifiedof the sonsof Zadok,whohave keptMy charge,whodid not goastraywhen the sonsof Israelwentastrayas the Leviteswentastray.
And it will be, like people,like priest;So I will punishthem for their waysAnd repaythem for their deeds.
Everyone who eatsit will bearhis iniquity,for he has profanedthe holythingof the LORD;and that personshall be cutofffrom his people.
Her prophetsare reckless,treacherousmen;Her priestshave profanedthe sanctuary.They have doneviolenceto the law.
"But as for you, you have turnedasidefrom the way;you have caused manyto stumbleby the instruction;you have corruptedthe covenantof Levi,"saysthe LORDof hosts.
"Only the Levitesshall performthe serviceof the tentof meeting,and they shall beartheir iniquity;it shall be a perpetualstatutethroughout your generations,and amongthe sonsof Israelthey shall havenoinheritance.
Moreover, the manwill be freefrom guilt,but that womanshall bearher guilt.'"
Do not layhandsupon anyone[too] hastilyand therebyshare[responsibility for] the sinsof others;keepyourselffree from sin.
