God declares that he will spread dung on their faces. The word “dung” refers to the entrails of the animals sacrificed, which includes the dung still in the intestines. These parts of the animal were unclean and were to be carried outside the camp (Leviticus 4:11–12), where they were to be burned. By smearing the “dung” on the faces of the priests, God declares that he will openly show to his people that the priests had defiled themselves and their priesthood, making themselves unclean and unacceptable to God. By this action, God also forewarned the priests of the punishment that would follow their desecration of the priesthood. They would be carried away like the unclean parts of the sacrificial animals. They would be brought to the place where the unclean portions were burned. This is figurative language. The meaning is that God was going to remove them from their honourable office amongst God’s people because they had defiled themselves and their worship was unacceptable to the Lord. They would cease to function as priests in the Lord’s sanctuary.
3 Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it.