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Speak out for those who cannot speak,
    for the rights of all the destitute.[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. 31.8 Heb all children of passing away

Speak(A) up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
    for the rights of all who are destitute.

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Give justice to the weak and the orphan;
    maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.(A)
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”(B)

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Defend the weak and the fatherless;(A)
    uphold the cause of the poor(B) and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy;
    deliver them from the hand of the wicked.

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11 if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death,
    those who go staggering to the slaughter;(A)
12 if you say, “Look, we did not know this”—
    does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it?
    And will he not repay all according to their deeds?(B)

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11 Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(A)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs(B) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay(C) everyone according to what they have done?(D)

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Jeremiah Is Rescued by Ebed-melech

Ebed-melech the Cushite, a eunuch in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. The king happened to be sitting at the Benjamin Gate,(A) So Ebed-melech left the king’s house and spoke to the king, “My lord king, these men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern to die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.”(B) 10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Cushite, “Take three[a] men with you from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies.”

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Footnotes

  1. 38.10 Cn: Heb thirty

But Ebed-Melek,(A) a Cushite,[a] an official[b](B) in the royal palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate,(C) Ebed-Melek went out of the palace and said to him, “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all they have done to Jeremiah the prophet. They have thrown him into a cistern,(D) where he will starve to death when there is no longer any bread(E) in the city.”

10 Then the king commanded Ebed-Melek the Cushite, “Take thirty men from here with you and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 38:7 Probably from the upper Nile region
  2. Jeremiah 38:7 Or a eunuch

24 But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over into the hands of the people to be put to death.(A)

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24 Furthermore, Ahikam(A) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

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16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 And some of the elders of the land arose and said to all the assembled people, 18 “Micah of Moresheth, who prophesied during the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts,

Zion shall be plowed as a field;
    Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins
    and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’(A)

19 “Did King Hezekiah of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and did not the Lord change his mind about the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster on ourselves!”(B)

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16 Then the officials(A) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(B) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(C) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“‘Zion(D) will be plowed like a field,
    Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(E)
    the temple hill(F) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[a](G)

19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(H) fear the Lord and seek(I) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(J) so that he did not bring the disaster(K) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(L) on ourselves!”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12

12 because I delivered the poor who cried
    and the orphan who had no helper.(A)
13 The blessing of the wretched came upon me,
    and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.(B)
14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
    my justice was like a robe and a turban.(C)
15 I was eyes to the blind
    and feet to the lame.
16 I was a father to the needy,
    and I championed the cause of the stranger.(D)
17 I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
    and made them drop their prey from their teeth.(E)

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12 because I rescued the poor(A) who cried for help,
    and the fatherless(B) who had none to assist them.(C)
13 The one who was dying blessed me;(D)
    I made the widow’s(E) heart sing.
14 I put on righteousness(F) as my clothing;
    justice was my robe and my turban.(G)
15 I was eyes(H) to the blind
    and feet to the lame.(I)
16 I was a father to the needy;(J)
    I took up the case(K) of the stranger.(L)
17 I broke the fangs of the wicked
    and snatched the victims(M) from their teeth.(N)

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13 Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” 15 Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”(A)

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13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent(A) at this time, relief(B) and deliverance(C) for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”(D)

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast(E) for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”(F)

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51 “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?”(A)

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51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

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11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    according to your great power, preserve those doomed to die.(A)

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11 May the groans of the prisoners come before you;
    with your strong arm preserve those condemned to die.

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14 Then Ahimelech answered the king, “Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law and is quick[a] to do your bidding and is honored in your house.(A) 15 Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? By no means! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any member of my father’s house, for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.”

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Footnotes

  1. 22.14 Heb and turns aside

14 Ahimelek answered the king, “Who(A) of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household? 15 Was that day the first time I inquired of God for him? Of course not! Let not the king accuse your servant or any of his father’s family, for your servant knows nothing at all about this whole affair.”

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32 Then Jonathan answered his father Saul, “Why should he be put to death? What has he done?”(A)

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32 “Why(A) should he be put to death? What(B) has he done?” Jonathan asked his father.

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Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, “The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you and because his deeds have been of good service to you,(A) for he took his life in his hand when he attacked the Philistine, and the Lord brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced; why then will you sin against an innocent person by killing David without cause?”(B) Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, “As the Lord lives, he shall not be put to death.” So Jonathan called David and related all these things to him. Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.(C)

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Jonathan spoke(A) well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king do wrong(B) to his servant David; he has not wronged you, and what he has done has benefited you greatly. He took his life(C) in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory(D) for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent(E) man like David by killing him for no reason?”

Saul listened to Jonathan and took this oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, David will not be put to death.”

So Jonathan called David and told him the whole conversation. He brought him to Saul, and David was with Saul as before.(F)

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