“ Then there will arise in his place a despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit.

“必有一个卑鄙的人兴起接续为王，人未曾将国的尊荣给他，他却趁人坦然无备的时候，用谄媚的话得国。

“后来，有一个卑鄙的人兴起接续他的王位，人未曾将国的尊荣给他，他却趁人无备的时候前来，用诡诈夺取政权。

“后来，有一个卑鄙的人兴起接续他的王位，人未曾将国的尊荣给他，他却趁人无备的时候前来，用诡诈夺取政权。

“接着继位的是一个卑鄙的人。他无权继位，却乘人不备用奸计夺取王位。

必另有一个卑鄙的人兴起来代替他；虽然人未曾把王国的尊荣给这人，这人却乘人不备的时候来到，用奉承的话夺得了王国。

“此后必有一个卑鄙的人兴起坐上王位；他没有被赐予王权的尊荣，却在人安稳无备的时候来到，以奸滑的手段抓取了王权。

「必有一個卑鄙的人興起接續為王，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人坦然無備的時候，用諂媚的話得國。

「後來，有一個卑鄙的人興起接續他的王位，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人無備的時候前來，用詭詐奪取政權。

「後來，有一個卑鄙的人興起接續他的王位，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人無備的時候前來，用詭詐奪取政權。

「接著繼位的是一個卑鄙的人。他無權繼位，卻乘人不備用奸計奪取王位。

必另有一個卑鄙的人興起來代替他；雖然人未曾把王國的尊榮給這人，這人卻乘人不備的時候來到，用奉承的話奪得了王國。

『必有一個卑鄙的人立起來接替他的位子；君王的威榮未曾給了他，他卻趁人坦然無備時用圓滑手段取得了國。

「此後必有一個卑鄙的人興起坐上王位；他沒有被賜予王權的尊榮，卻在人安穩無備的時候來到，以奸猾的手段抓取了王權。

嗣其位者、為卑陋之夫、國位之榮、原不宜得、乃乘宴安之際、以諂諛而得國、

又繼位者、所行卑賤、不宜踐位、乃因時值承平、以諂諛而得國、

繼其位者卑陋之人、原不當得國榮、乘人不備之時、用狡譎之計獲國、

“ He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.

“ After him, another king will take his place. Many people will hate him. He will not be honored as a king should be. He will lead an army into the kingdom when its people feel secure. He will make clever plans to capture it.

In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

“ The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not in line for royal succession. He will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue.

“ In his place a despised person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the majesty of kingship has not been conferred; but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his place shall stand up a contemptible person, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in time of security, and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

“ In his place a despised person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

“ In his place a contemptible person will stand up, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom; but he will come in time of security, and will obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

By his treachery he will succeed through deceit. He will have an arrogant attitude, and he will destroy many who are unaware of his schemes. He will rise up against the Prince of princes, yet he will be broken apart– but not by human agency.

When they stumble, they will be granted some help. But many will unite with them deceitfully.

Toward the end of their rule, when rebellious acts are complete, a rash and deceitful king will arise.

His words are as smooth as butter, but he harbors animosity in his heart. His words seem softer than oil, but they are really like sharp swords.

The LORD has issued a decree against you:“ Your dynasty will come to an end. I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate your grave– because you are accursed!”

There will arise after him one who will send out an exactor of tribute to enhance the splendor of the kingdom, but after a few days he will be destroyed, though not in anger or battle.

Then with smooth words he will defile those who have rejected the covenant. But the people who are loyal to their God will act valiantly.

“ There will arise in his place one from her family line who will come against their army and will enter the stronghold of the king of the north and will move against them successfully.

for the wicked seem to be everywhere, when people promote evil.

A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled.

You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, and he did not rebuke them.

Now Abimelech son of Jerub-Baal went to Shechem to see his mother’s relatives. He said to them and to his mother’s entire extended family,“ Tell all the leaders of Shechem this:‘ Why would you want to have seventy men, all Jerub-Baal’s sons, ruling over you, when you can have just one ruler? Recall that I am your own flesh and blood.’”His mother’s relatives spoke on his behalf to all the leaders of Shechem and reported his proposal. The leaders were drawn to Abimelech; they said,“ He is our close relative.”They paid him seventy silver shekels out of the temple of Baal-Berith. Abimelech then used the silver to hire some lawless, dangerous men as his followers.He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped, because he hid.All the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo assembled and then went and made Abimelech king by the oak near the pillar in Shechem.When Jotham heard the news, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim. He spoke loudly to the people below,“ Listen to me, leaders of Shechem, so that God may listen to you!“ The trees were determined to go out and choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree,‘ Be our king!’But the olive tree said to them,‘ I am not going to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and men, just to sway above the other trees!’“ So the trees said to the fig tree,‘ You come and be our king!’But the fig tree said to them,‘ I am not going to stop producing my sweet figs, my excellent fruit, just to sway above the other trees!’“ So the trees said to the grapevine,‘ You come and be our king!’But the grapevine said to them,‘ I am not going to stop producing my wine, which makes gods and men so happy, just to sway above the other trees!’“ So all the trees said to the thornbush,‘ You come and be our king!’The thornbush said to the trees,‘ If you really want to choose me as your king, then come along, find safety under my branches! Otherwise may fire blaze from the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’“ Now, if you have shown loyalty and integrity when you made Abimelech king, if you have done right to Jerub-Baal and his family, if you have properly repaid him–my father fought for you; he risked his life and delivered you from Midian’s power.But you have attacked my father’s family today. You murdered his seventy legitimate sons on one stone and made Abimelech, the son of his female slave, king over the leaders of Shechem, just because he is your close relative.So if you have shown loyalty and integrity to Jerub-Baal and his family today, then may Abimelech bring you happiness and may you bring him happiness!But if not, may fire blaze from Abimelech and consume the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo! May fire also blaze from the leaders of Shechem and Beth Millo and consume Abimelech!”

Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“ What city are you from?” The person would answer,“ I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”Absalom would then say to him,“ Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”Absalom would then say,“ If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.

He despises a reprobate, but honors the LORD’s loyal followers. He makes firm commitments and does not renege on his promise.

“ As I was contemplating the horns, another horn– a small one– came up between them, and three of the former horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This horn had eyes resembling human eyes and a mouth speaking arrogant things.

From one of them came a small horn. But it grew to be very big, toward the south and the east and toward the beautiful land.