Then Abraham approached him and said: ‘Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?

Far be it from you to do such a thing – to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

They said to one another, ‘Surely we are being punished because of our brother. We saw how distressed he was when he pleaded with us for his life, but we would not listen; that’s why this distress has come on us.’

Then they said to one another, “In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.”

The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, ‘Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?’

When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?”

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. ‘This time I have sinned,’ he said to them. ‘The  Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned; the  Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

‘Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.

“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.

Have nothing to do with a false charge and do not put an innocent or honest person to death, for I will not acquit the guilty.

Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked.

‘“If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the  Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the  Lord for a sin offering.

‘“If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the  Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realise their guilt

“If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the  Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt

‘“When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the  Lord his God, when he realises his guilt

“When a leader sins doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the  Lord his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt,

‘“If any member of the community sins unintentionally and does what is forbidden in any of the  Lord’s commands, when they realise their guilt

“If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the  Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt,

‘“If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty – if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground) and they are unaware that they have become unclean, but then they come to realise their guilt;

or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt;

or if they touch human uncleanness (anything that would make them unclean) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realise their guilt;

or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt;

or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realise their guilt –

or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these;

when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess in what way they have sinned.

when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed,

‘If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the  Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it, they are guilty and will be held responsible.

“If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the  Lord’s commandments ought not to be done though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity.

It is a guilt offering; they have been guilty of wrongdoing against the  Lord.’

It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before the  Lord.”

when they sin in any of these ways and realise their guilt, they must return what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found,

if he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found

or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.

or anything about which he has sworn falsely, he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt.

In this way the priest will make atonement for them before the  Lord, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.’

And the priest shall make atonement for him before the  Lord, and he shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and thereby become guilty.”

by allowing them to eat the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt requiring payment. I am the  Lord, who makes them holy.”’

and so cause them to bear iniquity and guilt, by eating their holy things: for I am the  Lord who sanctifies them.”

‘Say to the Israelites: “Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the  Lord is guilty

“Speak to the people of Israel When a man or woman commits any of the sins that people commit by breaking faith with the  Lord, and that person realizes his guilt,

and must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged.

he shall confess his sin that he has committed. And he shall make full restitution for his wrong, adding a fifth to it and giving it to him to whom he did the wrong.

He warned the assembly, ‘Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.’

And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Depart, please, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be swept away with all their sins.”

‘“Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. They are to be put to death.

Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death.

When people have a dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty.

“If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty,

If the guilty person deserves to be beaten, the judge shall make them lie down and have them flogged in his presence with the number of lashes the crime deserves,

then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense.

When their fathers or brothers complain to us, we will say to them, “Do us the favour of helping them, because we did not get wives for them during the war. You will not be guilty of breaking your oath because you did not give your daughters to them.”’

And when their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, ‘Grant them graciously to us, because we did not take for each man of them his wife in battle, neither did you give them to them, else you would now be guilty.’”

He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.
‘It is not by strength that one prevails;

“He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,
for not by might shall a man prevail.

As the old saying goes, “From evildoers come evil deeds,” so my hand will not touch you.

As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you.

How much more – when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed – should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!’

How much more, when wicked men have killed a righteous man in his own house on his bed, shall I not now require his blood at your hand and destroy you from the earth?”

The woman said, ‘Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son?

And the woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again.

then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.

then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

But Joab replied, ‘May the  Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?’

But Joab said, “May the  Lord add to his people a hundred times as many as they are! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should it be a cause of guilt for Israel?”

then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.

then hear from heaven and act and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, ‘Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the  Lord? Because of this, the wrath of the  Lord is on you.

But Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the  Lord? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the  Lord.

In every case that comes before you from your people who live in the cities – whether bloodshed or other concerns of the law, commands, decrees or regulations – you are to warn them not to sin against the  Lord; otherwise his wrath will come on you and your people. Do this, and you will not sin.

whenever a case comes to you from your brothers who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or rules, then you shall warn them, that they may not incur guilt before the  Lord and wrath may not come upon you and your brothers. Thus you shall do, and you will not incur guilt.

They abandoned the temple of the  Lord, the God of their ancestors, and worshipped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God’s anger came on Judah and Jerusalem.

And they abandoned the house of the  Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs.

And now you intend to make the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem your slaves. But aren’t you also guilty of sins against the  Lord your God?

And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the  Lord your God?

‘You must not bring those prisoners here,’ they said, ‘or we will be guilty before the  Lord. Do you intend to add to our sin and guilt? For our guilt is already great, and his fierce anger rests on Israel.’

and said to them, “You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring upon us guilt against the  Lord in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.”

But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the  Lord; Amon increased his guilt.

And he did not humble himself before the  Lord, as Manasseh his father had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred guilt more and more.

and prayed:

‘I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.

saying:

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.

From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering and to utter shame, as it is today.

‘What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.

And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this,

 Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.’

O  Lord, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.

And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.

(They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)

They pledged themselves to put away their wives, and their guilt offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt.

There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.

There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are at rest.

Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
and the tents of the wicked will be no more.’

Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

It is all the same; that is why I say,
“He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”

It is all one; therefore I say,
‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’

When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,
he blindfolds its judges.
If it is not he, then who is it?

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
he covers the faces of its judges—
if it is not he, who then is it?

Does it please you to oppress me,
to spurn the work of your hands,
while you smile on the plans of the wicked?

Does it seem good to you to oppress,
to despise the work of your hands
and favor the designs of the wicked?

But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
and escape will elude them;
their hope will become a dying gasp.’

But the eyes of the wicked will fail;
all way of escape will be lost to them,
and their hope is to breathe their last.”

all his days the wicked man suffers torment,
the ruthless man through all the years stored up for him.

The wicked man writhes in pain all his days,
through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.

God has turned me over to the ungodly
and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.

God gives me up to the ungodly
and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

‘The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;
the flame of his fire stops burning.

“Indeed, the light of the wicked is put out,
and the flame of his fire does not shine.

that the mirth of the wicked is brief,
the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.

that the exulting of the wicked is short,
and the joy of the godless but for a moment?

Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
the heritage appointed for them by God.’

This is the wicked man’s portion from God,
the heritage decreed for him by God.”

Why do the wicked live on,
growing old and increasing in power?

Why do the wicked live,
reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

But their prosperity is not in their own hands,
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.

Behold, is not their prosperity in their hand?
The counsel of the wicked is far from me.