Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah.

Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’

since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house.

Of these, twenty-four thousand were to look after the work of the house of the Lord, six thousand were officers and judges,

Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons performed duties as officials and judges over Israel outside Jerusalem.

And Solomon spoke to all Israel, to the captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’ houses.

Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city,

and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.

And you, Ezra, according to your God-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach those who do not know them.

Please, let the leaders of our entire assembly stand; and let all those in our cities who have taken pagan wives come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of their cities, until the fierce wrath of our God is turned away from us in this matter.”

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He, who else could it be?

He leads counselors away plundered, And makes fools of the judges.

“Can anyone teach God knowledge, Since He judges those on high?

For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance.

Now therefore, be wise, O kings; Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

So that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth.”

A Plea for Justice

A Psalm of Asaph.

God stands in the congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods.

Their judges are overthrown by the sides of the cliff, And they hear my words, for they are sweet.

Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth;

By me princes rule, and nobles, All the judges of the earth.

The king who judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever.

I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”

He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless.

In controversy they shall stand as judges, and judge it according to My judgments. They shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed meetings, and they shall hallow My Sabbaths.

And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.