By doing what is fair, a king makes a country secure. But those who only want money tear it down.

王藉公平，使国坚定；索要贿赂，使国倾败。

王藉公平，使国坚定；强索贡物的，使它毁坏。

王藉公平，使国坚定；强索贡物的，使它毁坏。

君王秉公行义，国家安定；他若收受贿赂，国必倾倒。

君王以公正使国坚立；收受贿赂的，使国覆亡。

王藉着公正，使国坚立；但收受贿赂的，使国倾覆。

王藉公平，使國堅定；索要賄賂，使國傾敗。

王藉公平，使國堅定；強索貢物的，使它毀壞。

王藉公平，使國堅定；強索貢物的，使它毀壞。

君王秉公行義，國家安定；他若收受賄賂，國必傾倒。

君王以公正使國堅立；收受賄賂的，使國覆亡。

王以公平使國立定；一個逼索稅貢的、使國翻毁。

王藉著公正，使國堅立；但收受賄賂的，使國傾覆。

王秉公義、使國堅立、索賄者傾覆之、

王秉義、國以立、主受賄、邦必喪。

王秉公義、使國堅立、受賄者受賄者或作增稅者敗之、

By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.

By justice a king builds up the land, but he who exacts gifts tears it down.

A just king gives stability to his nation, but one who demands bribes destroys it.

By justice a king brings stability to a land, but a person who demands“ contributions” demolishes it.

The king gives stability to the land by justice, But a person who takes bribes ruins it.

The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

The king by justice establisheth the land; But he that exacteth gifts overthroweth it.

By justice a king brings stability to a land, but a man who demands“ contributions” demolishes it.

The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.

A king brings stability to a land by justice, but one who exacts tribute tears it down.

The king by justice makes the land stable, but he who takes bribes tears it down.

If a king judges poor people fairly, his throne will always be secure.

They are very good at doing what is evil. Rulers require gifts. Judges accept money from people who want special favors. Those who are powerful always get what they want. All of them make evil plans together.

A king sits on his throne to judge. He gets rid of all evil when he sees it.

The Lord says,“ How terrible it will be for King Jehoiakim! He builds his palace by mistreating his people. He builds its upstairs rooms with money gained by sinning. He makes his own people work for nothing. He does not pay them for what they do.He says,‘ I will build myself a great palace. It will have large rooms upstairs.’ So he makes big windows in it. He covers its walls with cedar boards. He decorates it with red paint.“ Jehoiakim, does having more and more cedar boards make you a king? Your father Josiah had enough to eat and drink. He did what was right and fair. So everything went well with him.He stood up for those who were poor or needy. So everything went well with him. That is what it means to know me,” announces the Lord.“ Jehoiakim, the only thing on your mind is to get rich by cheating others. You would even kill people who are not guilty of doing anything wrong. You would mistreat them. You would take everything they own.”

The Lord says to his servant,“ When it is time to have mercy on you, I will answer your prayers. When it is time to save you, I will help you. I will keep you safe. You will put into effect my covenant with the people of Israel. Then their land will be made like new again. Each tribe will be sent back to its territory that was left empty.

“ You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said.“ You haven’t obeyed the command the Lord your God gave you. If you had, he would have made your kingdom secure over Israel for all time to come.

By me kings rule. Leaders make laws that are fair.

There will be no limit to how great his authority is. The peace he brings will never end. He will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom. He will make the kingdom strong and secure. His rule will be based on what is fair and right. It will last forever. The Lord’ s great love will make sure that happens. He rules over all.

May the Lord your God be praised. He takes great delight in you. He placed you on his throne as king. He put you there to rule for him. Your God loves Israel very much. He longs to take good care of them forever. That’s why he has made you king over them. He knows that you will do what is fair and right.”

The King is mighty and loves justice. He has set up the rules for fairness. He has done what is right and fair for the people of Jacob.

So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David. His position as king was made secure.

A king hates it when his people do what is wrong. A ruler is made secure when they do what is right.

David ruled over the whole nation of Israel. He did what was fair and right for all his people.

“ The next king after him will send someone out to collect taxes. The taxes will help maintain the glory of his kingdom. But in a few years the king will be destroyed. It will not happen because someone becomes angry with him or kills him in battle.

Menahem did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. During his entire rule he didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.Then Tiglath- Pileser marched into the land of Israel. He was king of Assyria. Menahem gave him 38 tons of silver to get his help. He wanted to make his control over the kingdom stronger.Menahem forced Israel to give him that money. Every wealthy person had to give him 20 ounces of silver. All of it went to the king of Assyria. So he pulled his troops back. He didn’t stay in the land anymore.

Your kingdom is built on what is right and fair. Your faithful love leads the way in front of you.