“That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.”
Their hands are skilled to do evil; the official and the judge ask for a bribe, and the powerful dictate what they desire; thus they weave it together—the prophet specifies that moral inversion extends from the skilled pursuit of evil (habit and ability) to the corruption of justice (bribes to judges and officials). The image of officials and judges as bribe-takers shows that the institutions meant to provide justice have become instruments of corruption. The description of the powerful dictating outcomes (having might to enforce their will) shows that justice has given way to tyranny. The final phrase 'thus they weave it together' suggests that corruption is systematic and coordinated, not accidental or isolated. This verse shows that the comprehensive darkness extends through all levels of society and all institutions.
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