Jeremiah 22:1-16 ▼

1 Thus said YHWH: “Go down [to] the house of the king of Judah, and you have spoken this word there, and have said,

2 Hear a word of YHWH, O king of Judah, who are sitting on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people, who are coming in at these gates,”

3 Thus said YHWH: “Do judgment and righteousness, || And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, || And sojourner, orphan, and widow, you do not oppress nor wrong, || And innocent blood you do not shed in this place.

4 For if you certainly do this thing, || Then kings sitting for David on his throne || Have come in by the gates of this house, || Riding on chariot, and on horses, || He, and his servants, and his people.

5 And if you do not hear these words, || I have sworn by Myself,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “That this house is for a desolation.”

6 For thus said YHWH concerning the house of the king of Judah: “You [are] Gilead to Me—head of Lebanon, || If not—I make you a wilderness, || Cities [that] are not inhabited.

7 And I have separated destroyers for you, || Each with his weapons, || And they have cut down the choice of your cedars, || And have cast them on the fire.”

8 And many nations have passed by this city, || And they have each said to his neighbor, “Why has YHWH done thus to this great city?”

9 And they have said, “Because that they have forsaken || The covenant of their God YHWH, || And bow themselves to other gods, and serve them.”

10 You do not weep for the dead, nor bemoan for him, || Weep severely for the traveler, || For he does not return again, || Nor has he seen the land of his birth.

11 For thus said YHWH concerning Shallum son of Josiah king of Judah, who is reigning instead of his father Josiah, who has gone forth from this place: “He does not return here again;

12 For he dies in the place to where they have removed him, || And he does not see this land again.

13 Woe to him who is building his house by unrighteousness, || And his upper chambers by injustice, || He lays service on his neighbor for nothing, || And he does not give his wage to him.

14 Who is saying, || I build a large house for myself, || And airy upper chambers, || And he has cut out its windows for himself, || Covered with cedar, and painted with vermillion.

15 Do you reign, because you are fretting yourself in cedar? Your father—did he not eat and drink? Indeed, he did judgment and righteousness, || Then [it is] well with him.

16 He decided the cause of the poor and needy, || Then [it is] well—is it not to know Me?” A declaration of YHWH.