2 Samuel 22:24

22:24 I was blameless before him;

I kept myself from sinning. ¹ 

Nehemiah 5:15

5:15 But the former governors who preceded me had burdened the people and had taken food and wine from them, in addition to ²  forty shekels of silver. Their associates were also domineering over the people. But I did not behave in this way, due to my fear of God.

Isaiah 33:15

33:15 The one who lives ³  uprightly ⁴ 

and speaks honestly;

the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures

and rejects a bribe; ⁵ 

the one who does not plot violent crimes ⁶ 

and does not seek to harm others ⁷  –

¹ tn Heb “from my sin,” that is, from making it my own in any way. Leading a “blameless” life meant that the king would be loyal to God’s covenant, purge the government and society of evil and unjust officials, and reward loyalty to the Lord (see Ps 101).

² tc The Hebrew term אַחַר (’akhar) is difficult here. It normally means “after,” but that makes no sense here. Some scholars emend it to אַחַד (’akhad) and supply the word “day,” which yields the sense “daily.” Cf. TEV “40 silver coins a day for food and wine.”

³ tn Heb “walks” (so NASB, NIV).

⁴ tn Or, possibly, “justly”; NAB “who practices virtue.”

⁵ tn Heb “[who] shakes off his hands from grabbing hold of a bribe.”

⁶ tn Heb “[who] shuts his ear from listening to bloodshed.”

⁷ tn Heb “[who] closes his eyes from seeing evil.”