Spiritual Inheritance

⁷ Ever since the time of your ancestors, you have deviated from my laws and have not kept them. Return to me and I will return to you, says the LORD of heavenly forces. But you say, “How should we return?” ⁸ Should a person deceive God? Yet you deceive me. But you say, “How have we deceived you?” With your tenth-part gifts and offerings. ⁹ You are being cursed with a curse, and you, the entire nation, are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tenth-part to the storage house so there might be food in my house. Please test me in this, says the LORD of heavenly forces. See whether I do not open all the windows of the heavens for you and empty out a blessing until there is enough. ¹¹ I will threaten the one who wants to devour you so that it doesn’t spoil the fruit of your fertile land, and so that the vine doesn’t abort its fruit in your field, says the LORD of heavenly forces. ¹² All the nations will consider you fortunate, for you will be a desirable land, says the LORD of heavenly forces.