Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. {Defend: Heb. Judge}

If thou forbear to deliver {them that are} drawn unto death, and {those that are} ready to be slain;

Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and {him that had} none to help him.

Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

Doth our law judge {any} man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?

Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man {is} not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; {thy...: Heb. thine arm} {preserve...: Heb. reserve the children of death}

And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works {have been} to thee-ward very good:

Wisdom {is} too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who {is so} faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

The princes refrained talking, and laid {their} hand on their mouth.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue {is} the law of kindness.

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. {reprove: or, argue}

A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver {him that is} spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench {it}, because of the evil of your doings. {Execute: Heb. Judge}

And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works {have been} to thee-ward very good:

The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: {but} the wicked regardeth not to know {it}.

{Thou art} of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, {and} holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth {the man that is} more righteous than he? {iniquity: or, grievance}

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to {execute} wrath upon him that doeth evil.

And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him, Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?

Then Ahimelech answered the king, and said, And who {is so} faithful among all thy servants as David, which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is honourable in thine house?

And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given {is} not good at this time. {given: Heb. counselled}

Wisdom {is} too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.

My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for {there is} no more bread in the city. {he is like...: Heb. he will die}

He {that} hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, {that} hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that {the judges} may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,