Judgment against Sinful Kings
1This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and announce this word there.
2You are to say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David22:2 2Sm 3:10; 1Kg 2:12,24,45; Is 9:7; Jr 17:25; 22:30; 29:16; 36:30 — you, your officers, and your people who enter these gates.
3This is what the Lord says: Administer justice and righteousness.22:3 2Sm 8:15; 1Kg 10:9; 2Ch 9:8; Is 33:5; 59:14; Jr 9:24; 23:5; 33:15; Am 5:7,24 Rescue the victim of robbery from his oppressor.22:3 Dt 28:29; Ps 35:10; Ec 4:1; Jr 21:12 Don’t exploit or brutalize the resident alien, the fatherless, or the widow.22:3 Dt 14:29; 24:17,19–21; 27:19; Ps 146:9; Jr 7:6; Ezk 22:7 Don’t shed innocent blood in this place.
6For this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah:
or the summit of Lebanon,
but I will certainly turn you into a wilderness,
uninhabited cities.
each with his weapons.
They will cut down the choicest of your cedars
and throw them into the fire.
8“Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why did the Lord do such a thing to this great city?’
9They will answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant22:8–9 Dt 29:24–25; 1Kg 19:10,14 of the Lord their God and bowed in worship to other gods and served them.’”22:9 Dt 30:17
A Message concerning Shallum
10Do not weep for the dead;
do not mourn for him.
Weep bitterly for the one who has gone away,
for he will never return again
and see his native land.22:10 2Sm 12:22–23
11For this is what the Lord says concerning Shallum22:11 2Kg 23:32–35; 1Ch 3:15 son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in place of his father Josiah, and who has left this place: “He will never return here again,
12but he will die in the place where they deported him, never seeing this land again.”
A Message concerning Jehoiakim
13Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,22:13 Mc 3:10
his upstairs rooms through injustice,
who makes his neighbor serve without pay
14who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upstairs rooms.”
He will cut windows22:14 Lit my windows in it,
and painted bright red.
15Are you a king because you excel in cedar?
Didn’t your father eat and drink
and administer justice and righteousness?22:15 Jr 22:3
Then it went well with him.
then it went well.
Is this not what it means to know me?
This is the Lord’s declaration.
17But you have eyes and a heart for nothing
except your own dishonest profit,
shedding innocent blood
and committing extortion and oppression.22:17 Is 30:12; 59:9–15; Jr 6:6; Ezk 22:7,12,29; Mc 3:11; Hab 1:3
18Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim22:18 2Kg 23:34–24:6; 2Ch 36:4–8 son of Josiah, king of Judah:
They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, my brother!” or “Woe, my sister!”
They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, lord! Woe, his majesty!”
dragged off and thrown
outside Jerusalem’s gates.
20Go up to Lebanon and cry out;
raise your voice in Bashan;
for all your lovers22:20 Or friends, or allies, also in v. 22 have been crushed.22:20 Jr 3:1
21I spoke to you when you were secure.
You said, “I will not listen.”
This has been your way since youth;22:21 Jr 3:25
indeed, you have never listened to me.
22The wind will take charge of22:22 Lit will shepherd all your shepherds,
and your lovers will go into captivity.
Then you will be ashamed and humiliated22:22 Is 41:11
because of all your evil.
23You residents of Lebanon,
nestled among the cedars,
how you will groan22:23 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads will be pitied when pains come on you,
agony like a woman in labor.22:23 Ps 48:6; Is 13:8; 21:3; 42:14; Jr 4:31; 6:24; 13:21; 30:6; 50:43; Mc 4:9–10; 1Th 5:3
A Message concerning Coniah
24“As I live” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “though you, Coniah22:24 = Jehoiachin22:24 2Kg 24:6–17; Jr 37:1; 52:31 son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, were a signet ring22:24 Gn 38:18; 1Kg 21:8; Hg 2:23 on my right hand, I would tear you from it.
25In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread,22:25 Jr 34:20–21 who intend to take your life, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Chaldeans.
26I will hurl you and the mother who gave birth22:26 2Kg 24:15 to you into another land,22:26 2Kg 24:8 where neither of you were born, and there you will both die.
27They will never return to the land they long to return to.”
a jar no one wants?
Why are he and his descendants hurled out
and cast into a land they have not known?
29Earth, earth, earth,
hear the word of the Lord!
30This is what the Lord says:
a man who will not be successful in his lifetime.
None of his descendants will succeed
in sitting on the throne of David22:30 Jr 36:30
or ruling again in Judah.
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
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