“ The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not in line for royal succession. He will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue.

“必有一个卑鄙的人兴起接续为王，人未曾将国的尊荣给他，他却趁人坦然无备的时候，用谄媚的话得国。

“后来，有一个卑鄙的人兴起接续他的王位，人未曾将国的尊荣给他，他却趁人无备的时候前来，用诡诈夺取政权。

“后来，有一个卑鄙的人兴起接续他的王位，人未曾将国的尊荣给他，他却趁人无备的时候前来，用诡诈夺取政权。

“接着继位的是一个卑鄙的人。他无权继位，却乘人不备用奸计夺取王位。

必另有一个卑鄙的人兴起来代替他；虽然人未曾把王国的尊荣给这人，这人却乘人不备的时候来到，用奉承的话夺得了王国。

“此后必有一个卑鄙的人兴起坐上王位；他没有被赐予王权的尊荣，却在人安稳无备的时候来到，以奸滑的手段抓取了王权。

「必有一個卑鄙的人興起接續為王，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人坦然無備的時候，用諂媚的話得國。

「後來，有一個卑鄙的人興起接續他的王位，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人無備的時候前來，用詭詐奪取政權。

「後來，有一個卑鄙的人興起接續他的王位，人未曾將國的尊榮給他，他卻趁人無備的時候前來，用詭詐奪取政權。

「接著繼位的是一個卑鄙的人。他無權繼位，卻乘人不備用奸計奪取王位。

必另有一個卑鄙的人興起來代替他；雖然人未曾把王國的尊榮給這人，這人卻乘人不備的時候來到，用奉承的話奪得了王國。

『必有一個卑鄙的人立起來接替他的位子；君王的威榮未曾給了他，他卻趁人坦然無備時用圓滑手段取得了國。

「此後必有一個卑鄙的人興起坐上王位；他沒有被賜予王權的尊榮，卻在人安穩無備的時候來到，以奸猾的手段抓取了王權。

嗣其位者、為卑陋之夫、國位之榮、原不宜得、乃乘宴安之際、以諂諛而得國、

又繼位者、所行卑賤、不宜踐位、乃因時值承平、以諂諛而得國、

繼其位者卑陋之人、原不當得國榮、乘人不備之時、用狡譎之計獲國、

“ He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.

“ After him, another king will take his place. Many people will hate him. He will not be honored as a king should be. He will lead an army into the kingdom when its people feel secure. He will make clever plans to capture it.

In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

“ In his place a despised person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the majesty of kingship has not been conferred; but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his place shall stand up a contemptible person, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in time of security, and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

“ In his place a despised person will arise; royal honors will not be given to him, but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.

And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

“ Then there will arise in his place a despicable person to whom the royal honor has not been rightfully conferred. He will come on the scene in a time of prosperity and will seize the kingdom through deceit.

“ In his place a contemptible person will stand up, to whom they had not given the honor of the kingdom; but he will come in time of security, and will obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.

During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere.

“ At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.

His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!

And this is what the Lord says concerning the Assyrians in Nineveh:“ You will have no more children to carry on your name. I will destroy all the idols in the temples of your gods. I am preparing a grave for you because you are despicable!”

“ His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. But after a very brief reign, he will die, though not from anger or in battle.

He will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.

But when one of her relatives becomes king of the south, he will raise an army and enter the fortress of the king of the north and defeat him.

even though the wicked strut about, and evil is praised throughout the land.

In that day ungodly fools will not be heroes. Scoundrels will not be respected.

I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.

One day Gideon’s son Abimelech went to Shechem to visit his uncles— his mother’s brothers. He said to them and to the rest of his mother’s family,“ Ask the leading citizens of Shechem whether they want to be ruled by all seventy of Gideon’s sons or by one man. And remember that I am your own flesh and blood!”So Abimelech’s uncles gave his message to all the citizens of Shechem on his behalf. And after listening to this proposal, the people of Shechem decided in favor of Abimelech because he was their relative.They gave him seventy silver coins from the temple of Baal berith, which he used to hire some reckless troublemakers who agreed to follow him.He went to his father’s home at Ophrah, and there, on one stone, they killed all seventy of his half brothers, the sons of Gideon. But the youngest brother, Jotham, escaped and hid.Then all the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth millo called a meeting under the oak beside the pillar at Shechem and made Abimelech their king.When Jotham heard about this, he climbed to the top of Mount Gerizim and shouted,“ Listen to me, citizens of Shechem! Listen to me if you want God to listen to you!Once upon a time the trees decided to choose a king. First they said to the olive tree,‘ Be our king!’But the olive tree refused, saying,‘ Should I quit producing the olive oil that blesses both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’“ Then they said to the fig tree,‘ You be our king!’But the fig tree also refused, saying,‘ Should I quit producing my sweet fruit just to wave back and forth over the trees?’“ Then they said to the grapevine,‘ You be our king!’But the grapevine also refused, saying,‘ Should I quit producing the wine that cheers both God and people, just to wave back and forth over the trees?’“ Then all the trees finally turned to the thornbush and said,‘ Come, you be our king!’And the thornbush replied to the trees,‘ If you truly want to make me your king, come and take shelter in my shade. If not, let fire come out from me and devour the cedars of Lebanon.’”Jotham continued,“ Now make sure you have acted honorably and in good faith by making Abimelech your king, and that you have done right by Gideon and all of his descendants. Have you treated him with the honor he deserves for all he accomplished?For he fought for you and risked his life when he rescued you from the Midianites.But today you have revolted against my father and his descendants, killing his seventy sons on one stone. And you have chosen his slave woman’s son, Abimelech, to be your king just because he is your relative.“ If you have acted honorably and in good faith toward Gideon and his descendants today, then may you find joy in Abimelech, and may he find joy in you.But if you have not acted in good faith, then may fire come out from Abimelech and devour the leading citizens of Shechem and Beth millo; and may fire come out from the citizens of Shechem and Beth millo and devour Abimelech!”

He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe.Then Absalom would say,“ You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it.I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them.Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.

Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts.

As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.

Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel.