A society reaches its lowest point when the very institutions designed to protect the innocent become engines of oppression. At this stage of moral decay, leadership and the justice system are fundamentally corrupt, with every layer of authority working together to twist the law for financial gain.
The initial actions of these leaders reflect a deep perversion of their roles. The primary approach among commentators is that those in power use their strength to firmly establish and reinforce evil [רד״ק, מצודת דוד ומצודת ציון]. Others view this simply as a conscious choice to commit evil deeds instead of doing what is right [אבן עזרא]. In a legal context, this behavior manifests as paying bribes to secure a favorable verdict for a wicked person [מלבי״ם וביאור שטיינזלץ]. The situation creates a tragic absurdity: an oppressed individual might come to the courts seeking justice and a remedy for the wrongs committed against him, only to encounter a system that exploits him even further [אברבנאל]. Alternatively, this reality serves as an ironic rebuke to the people, asking how they could possibly expect God to reward them with good in exchange for their wicked actions [רש״י].
This corruption infects every level of government. Government ministers shamelessly and explicitly demand bribes [מצודת דוד וביאור שטיינזלץ], sometimes acting as middlemen to collect money on behalf of a king who is too embarrassed to demand it himself [רד״ק]. The judges, who are supposed to be impartial, decide fates purely based on payments and financial favors [רוב הפרשנים]. In some cases, this corruption takes the form of a mutual exchange of favors, where judges agree to acquit each other's friends and associates [רש״י].
Joining this corrupt network is the influential elite—whether a powerful figure in the royal court, a law enforcer, the head of the high court, or a prominent lawyer. The words spoken by this powerful individual are driven entirely by selfish motives. He might issue rulings based on nothing more than his own personal whims and desires [רש״י]. More maliciously, his words bring destruction and ruin upon the oppressed [רד״ק ומצודות]. He may even deliberately threaten an accused person with a devastating punishment for the sole purpose of extorting an additional bribe [מלבי״ם].
Ultimately, all these corrupt figures unite in their efforts. The minister, the judge, and the influential elite braid their actions together like a thick, three-stranded rope. By combining their power, they reinforce the injustice, entangle the truth, and forge a twisted legal decision that is as unbreakable as a heavy cord.