"Do you becomea kingbecauseyou are competingin cedar?Did not your fathereatand drinkAnd dojusticeand righteousness?Thenit was wellwith him.
So DavidreignedoverallIsrael;and Davidadministeredjusticeand righteousnessfor allhis people.
"Blessedbe the LORDyour Godwhodelightedin you to setyou on the throneof Israel;because the LORDlovedIsraelforever,therefore He madeyou king,to dojusticeand righteousness."
He didrightin the sightof the LORDand walkedin allthe wayof his fatherDavid,nordid he turnasideto the rightor to the left.
Beforehim there was nokinglikehim whoturnedto the LORDwith allhis heartand with allhis souland with allhis might,according to allthe lawof Moses;nordid any likehim ariseafterhim.
The sonsof Josiah[were] Johananthe firstborn,and the second[was] Jehoiakim,the thirdZedekiah,the fourthShallum.
He didrightin the sightof the LORD,and walkedin the waysof his fatherDavidand did not turnasideto the rightor to the left.
However, Josiahwould not turnawayfrom him, but disguisedhimself in order to makewarwith him; nordid he listento the wordsof Necofrom the mouthof God,but cameto makewaron the plainof Megiddo.
Now the restof the actsof Josiahand his deedsof devotionas writtenin the lawof the LORD,
Loyaltyand truthpreservethe king,And he upholdshis throneby righteousness.
To dorighteousnessand justiceIs desiredby the LORDmorethansacrifice.
Takeawaythe wickedbeforethe king,And his thronewill be establishedin righteousness.
The kinggivesstabilityto the landby justice,But a manwhotakesbribesoverthrowsit.
Openyour mouth,judgerighteously,And defendthe rightsof the afflictedand needy.
Blessedare you, O land,whosekingis of nobilityand whose princeseatat the appropriate time--for strengthand not for drunkenness.
Thereis nothingbetterfor a man[than] to eatand drinkand tellhimselfthat his laboris good.ThisalsoI have seenthat it is from the handof God.
Sayto the righteousthat [it will go] well[with them], For they will eatthe fruitof their actions.
He will dwellon the heights,His refugewill be the impregnablerock;His breadwill be given[him], His waterwill be sure.
Therewill be noendto the increaseof [His] governmentor of peace,On the throneof Davidand overhis kingdom,To establishit and to upholdit with justiceand righteousnessFrom thenon and forevermore.The zealof the LORDof hostswill accomplishthis.
O houseof David,thussaysthe LORD:"Administerjusticeevery morning;And deliverthe [person] who has been robbedfrom the powerof [his] oppressor,That My wrathmay not goforthlike fireAnd burnwith noneto extinguish[it], Becauseof the evilof their deeds.
Thereforethussaysthe LORDin regardto Jehoiakimthe sonof Josiah,kingof Judah,"They will not lamentfor him: 'Alas,my brother!'or, 'Alas,sister!'They will not lamentfor him: 'Alasfor the master!'or, 'Alasfor his splendor!'
Thussaysthe LORD,"Dojusticeand righteousness,and deliverthe one who has been robbedfrom the powerof [his] oppressor.Also do not mistreat[or] doviolenceto the stranger,the orphan,or the widow;and do not shedinnocentbloodin thisplace.
"Behold,[the] daysare coming,"declaresthe LORD,"When I will raiseup for Davida righteousBranch;And He will reignas kingand actwiselyAnd dojusticeand righteousnessin the land.
"Whether[it] is pleasantorunpleasant,we will listento the voiceof the LORDour Godto whomwe are sendingyou, sothat it may gowellwith us whenwe listento the voiceof the LORDour God."
"For ifyou trulyamendyour waysand your deeds,ifyou trulypracticejusticebetweena manand his neighbor,
"But givethat which is withinas charity,and thenall thingsare cleanfor you.
Day by daycontinuingwith one mindin the temple,and breakingbreadfrom house to house,they were takingtheir mealstogetherwith gladnessand sincerityof heart,
Whether,then,you eatordrinkorwhateveryou do,doallto the gloryof God.
"So you shall keepHis statutesand His commandmentswhichI am givingyou today,that it may gowellwith you and with your childrenafteryou, and that you may livelongon the landwhichthe LORDyour Godis givingyou for alltime."
