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

下流人在世人中升高，就有恶人到处游行。

卑鄙的人在世人中高升时，就有恶人四处横行。

卑鄙的人在世人中高升时，就有恶人四处横行。

众人若抑善扬恶，恶人必横行无忌。

恶人到处横行，邪恶在世人中被高举。

卑劣的事在世人中受尊崇时，恶人就四处横行。

下流人在世人中升高，就有惡人到處遊行。

卑鄙的人在世人中高升時，就有惡人四處橫行。

卑鄙的人在世人中高升時，就有惡人四處橫行。

眾人若抑善揚惡，惡人必橫行無忌。

惡人到處橫行，邪惡在世人中被高舉。

雖有惡人到處橫行，你卻輕蔑下流人像蛆蟲。

卑劣的事在世人中受尊崇時，惡人就四處橫行。

庸劣居於人上、惡者隨在而遨遊兮、

維彼惡人、以遨以遊、若狂風之驟起兮。

卑陋人升居高位、各處有惡人傲然而行、

主必濟窮民。莫隨斯世溺。

who freely strut about when what is vile is honored by the human race.

Proud and sinful people walk around openly when the evil they do is praised by the human race.

On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the children of man.

even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.

The wicked prowl all around, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.

The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of mankind.

The wicked prowl on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

The wicked walk on every side, When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

The wicked wander everywhere, and what is worthless is exalted by the human race.

The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.

The wicked walk on every side, when what is vile is exalted among the sons of men.

“ 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.

Sons of senseless and nameless people, they were driven out of the land with whips.

Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,“ Why do we still need witnesses?You have heard the blasphemy! What is your verdict?” They all condemned him as deserving death.Then some began to spit on him, and to blindfold him, and to strike him with their fists, saying,“ Prophesy!” The guards also took him and beat him.

The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity.A fool will no longer be called honorable; a deceiver will no longer be called principled.For a fool speaks disgraceful things; his mind plans out sinful deeds. He commits godless deeds and says misleading things about the LORD; he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite and gives the thirsty nothing to drink.

But the thought of striking out against Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed of the identity of Mordecai’s people. So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews( that is, the people of Mordecai) who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.In the first month( that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur( that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. It turned out to be the twelfth month( that is, the month of Adar).Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus,“ There is a particular people that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them.If the king is so inclined, let an edict be issued to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”So the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews.The king replied to Haman,“ Keep your money, and do with those people whatever you wish.”So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring.Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day of the twelfth month( that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions.A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, so that they would be prepared for this day.The messengers scurried forth with the king’s order. The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar!

Ephraim will be oppressed, crushed under judgment, because he was determined to pursue worthless idols.

You implement the regulations of Omri, and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; you follow their policies. Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, the city’s inhabitants will be taunted derisively, and nations will mock all of you.”

If a ruler listens to lies, all his ministers will be wicked.

Day and night they walk around on its walls, while wickedness and destruction are within it.Disaster is within it; violence and deceit do not depart from its public square.

Then Saul said to David,“ Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior for me and fight the battles of the LORD.” For Saul thought,“ There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”David said to Saul,“ Who am I? Who are my relatives or the clan of my father in Israel that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”

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!”Then Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there to escape from Abimelech his half-brother.Abimelech commanded Israel for three years.God sent a spirit to stir up hostility between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem. He made the leaders of Shechem disloyal to Abimelech.He did this so the violent deaths of Jerub-Baal’s seventy sons might be avenged and Abimelech, their half-brother who murdered them, might have to pay for their spilled blood, along with the leaders of Shechem who helped him murder them.The leaders of Shechem rebelled against Abimelech by putting bandits in the hills, who robbed everyone who traveled by on the road. But Abimelech found out about it.Gaal son of Ebed came through Shechem with his brothers. The leaders of Shechem transferred their loyalty to him.They went out to the field, harvested their grapes, squeezed out the juice, and celebrated. They came to the temple of their god and ate, drank, and cursed Abimelech.Gaal son of Ebed said,“ Who is Abimelech and who is Shechem, that we should serve him? Is he not the son of Jerub-Baal, and is not Zebul the deputy he appointed? Serve the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem! But why should we serve Abimelech?If only these men were under my command, I would get rid of Abimelech!” He challenged Abimelech,“ Muster your army and come out for battle!”When Zebul, the city commissioner, heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he was furious.He sent messengers to Abimelech, who was in Arumah, reporting,“ Beware! Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers are coming to Shechem and inciting the city to rebel against you.Now, come up at night with your men and set an ambush in the field outside the city.In the morning at sunrise quickly attack the city. When he and his men come out to fight you, do what you can to him.”So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem– they divided into four units.When Gaal son of Ebed came out and stood at the entrance to the city’s gate, Abimelech and his men got up from their hiding places.Gaal saw the men and said to Zebul,“ Look, men are coming down from the tops of the hills.” But Zebul said to him,“ You are seeing the shadows on the hills– it just looks like men.”Gaal again said,“ Look, men are coming down from the very center of the land. A unit is coming by way of the Oak Tree of the Diviners.”Zebul said to him,“ Where now are your bragging words,‘ Who is Abimelech that we should serve him?’ Are these not the men you insulted? Go out now and fight them!”So Gaal led the leaders of Shechem out and fought Abimelech.Abimelech chased him, and Gaal ran from him. Many Shechemites fell wounded at the entrance of the gate.Abimelech went back to Arumah; Zebul drove Gaal and his brothers out of Shechem.The next day the Shechemites came out to the field. When Abimelech heard about it,he took his men and divided them into three units and set an ambush in the field. When he saw the people coming out of the city, he attacked and struck them down.Abimelech and his units attacked and blocked the entrance to the city’s gate. Two units then attacked all the people in the field and struck them down.Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it.When all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem heard the news, they went to the stronghold of the temple of El-Berith.Abimelech heard that all the leaders of the Tower of Shechem were in one place.He and all his men went up on Mount Zalmon. He took an ax in his hand and cut off a tree branch. He put it on his shoulder and said to his men,“ Quickly, do what you have just seen me do!”So each of his men also cut off a branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the stronghold and set fire to it. All the people of the Tower of Shechem died– about a thousand men and women.Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it.There was a fortified tower in the center of the city, so all the men and women, as well as the city’s leaders, ran into it and locked the entrance. Then they went up to the roof of the tower.Abimelech came and attacked the tower. When he approached the entrance of the tower to set it on fire,a woman threw an upper millstone down on his head and shattered his skull.He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons,“ Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say,‘ A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died.When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they went home.God repaid Abimelech for the evil he did to his father by murdering his seventy half-brothers.God also repaid the men of Shechem for their evil deeds. The curse spoken by Jotham son of Jerub-Baal fell on them.