A Warning for Judah's Kings
1Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, 2And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: 3Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place. 4For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. 5But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.
A Warning about the Palace
6For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.
7And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.
8And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city? 9Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
A Warning about Jehoahaz
10Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.
11For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more: 12But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.
A Warning about Jehoiakim
13Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
14That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
15Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
16He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.
17But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
18Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!
19He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
20Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.
21I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.
22The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
23O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!
A Warning for Jehoiachin
24As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence; 25And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die. 27But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.
28Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?
29O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.
30Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
A Warning to Judah’s Kings
1 Thus said Yahweh: Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, 2 Say, Hear the word of Yahweh, king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter in by these gates. 3 Thus says Yahweh: Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence, to the foreigner, the fatherless, nor the widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. 5 But if you will not hear these words, I swear by myself, says Yahweh, that this house shall become a desolation.
A Warning about the Palace
6 For thus says Yahweh concerning the house of the king of Judah: You are Gilead to me, the head of Lebanon. Yet surely I will make you a wilderness, cities which are not inhabited.
7 I will prepare destroyers against you, everyone with his weapons; and they shall cut down your choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.
8 Many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Why has Yahweh done thus to this great city? 9 Then they shall answer, Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh their God, and worshiped other gods, and served them.
A Warning about Shallum
10 Don’t weep for the dead, neither bemoan him; but weep bitterly for him who goes away; for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.
11 For thus says Yahweh touching Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and who went forth out of this place: He shall not return there any more. 12 But in the place where they have led him captive, there shall he die, and he shall see this land no more.
A Warning about Jehoiakim
13 Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his rooms by injustice; who uses his neighbor’s service without wages, and doesn’t give him his hire;
14 who says, I will build me a wide house and spacious rooms, and cuts him out windows; and it is ceiling with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
15 Shall you reign, because you strive to excel in cedar? Didn’t your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? then it was well with him.
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Wasn’t this to know me? says Yahweh.
17 But your eyes and your heart are not but for your covetousness, and for shedding innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
18 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! They shall not lament for him, saying Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!
19 He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up your voice in Bashan, and cry from Abarim; for all your lovers are destroyed.
21 I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said, I will not hear. This has been your way from your youth, that you didn’t obey my voice.
22 The wind shall feed all your shepherds, and your lovers shall go into captivity: surely then you will be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness.
23 Inhabitant of Lebanon, who makes your nest in the cedars, how greatly to be pitied you will be when pangs come on you, the pain as of a woman in travail!
A Warning to Coniah
24 As I live, says Yahweh, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet on my right hand, yet would I pluck you there; 25 and I will give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of them of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 I will cast you out, and your mother who bore you, into another country, where you were not born; and there you will die. 27 But to the land whereunto their soul longs to return, there shall they not return.
28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken vessel? is he a vessel in which none delights? why are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land which they don’t know?
29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of Yahweh.
30 Thus says Yahweh, Write you this man childless, a man who shall not prosper in his days; for no more shall a man of his seed prosper, sitting on the throne of David, and ruling in Judah.
A Warning to Judah’s Kings
1 This is what the LORD says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there, 2 saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David—you and your officials and your people who enter these gates. 3 This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.
4 For if you will indeed carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses—they and their officials and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that this house will become a pile of rubble.’ ”
A Warning about the Palace
6 For this is what the LORD says concerning the house of the king of Judah:
“You are like Gilead to Me,
like the summit of Lebanon;
but I will surely turn you into a desert,
like cities that are uninhabited.
7 I will appoint destroyers against you,
each man with his weapons,
and they will cut down the choicest of your cedars
and throw them into the fire.
8 And many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this great city?’
9 Then people will reply, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’ ”
A Warning about Shallum
10 Do not weep for the dead king;
do not mourn his loss.
Weep bitterly for the one who is exiled,
for he will never return
to see his native land.
11 For this is what the LORD says concerning Shallum a son of Josiah, king of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah but has gone forth from this place: “He will never return, 12 but he will die in the place to which he was exiled; he will never see this land again.”
A Warning about Jehoiakim
13 “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,
and his upper rooms without justice,
who makes his countrymen serve without pay,
and fails to pay their wages,
14 who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace,
with spacious upper rooms.’
So he cuts windows in it,
panels it with cedar,
and paints it with vermilion.
15 Does it make you a king to excel b in cedar?
Did not your father have food and drink?
He administered justice and righteousness,
and so it went well with him.
16 He took up the cause of the poor and needy,
and so it went well with him.
Is this not what it means to know Me?”
declares the LORD.
17 “But your eyes and heart are set on nothing
except your own dishonest gain,
on shedding innocent blood,
on practicing extortion and oppression.”
18 Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
“They will not mourn for him:
‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
They will not mourn for him:
‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
19 He will be buried like a donkey,
dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go up to Lebanon and cry out;
raise your voice in Bashan;
cry out from Abarim,
for all your lovers have been crushed.
21 I warned you when you were secure.
You said, ‘I will not listen.’
This has been your way from youth,
that you have not obeyed My voice.
22 The wind will drive away all your shepherds,
and your lovers will go into captivity.
Then you will be ashamed and humiliated
because of all your wickedness.
23 O inhabitant of Lebanon, c
nestled in the cedars,
how you will groan when pangs of anguish come upon you,
agony like a woman in labor.”
A Warning to Coniah
24 “As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “even if you, Coniah d son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on My right hand, I would pull you off. 25 In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread, who want to take your life—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans. e 26 I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another land, where neither of you were born—and there you both will die. 27 You will never return to the land for which you long.”
28 Is this man Coniah a despised and shattered pot,
a jar that no one wants?
Why are he and his descendants hurled out
and cast into a land they do not know?
29 O land, land, land,
hear the word of the LORD!
30 This is what the LORD says:
“Enroll this man as childless,
a man who will not prosper in his lifetime.
None of his descendants will prosper
to sit on the throne of David
or to rule again in Judah.”
Footnotes:
11 a Shallum was also called Jehoahaz .
15 b Or because you enclose yourself
23 c That is, the palace in Jerusalem; see 1 Kings 7:2.
24 d Coniah is a variant of Jehoiachin ; also in verse 28.
25 e That is, the Babylonians
A Warning for Judah's Kings
1Thus said Jehovah, 'Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and thou hast spoken there this word, and hast said, 2Hear a word of Jehovah, O king of Judah, who art sitting on the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people, who are coming in at these gates, 3Thus said Jehovah: Do ye judgment and righteousness, And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, And sojourner, orphan, and widow, ye do not oppress nor wrong, And innocent blood ye do not shed in this place. 4For, if ye certainly do this thing, Then come in by the gates of this house Have kings sitting for David on his throne, Riding on chariot, and on horses, He, and his servants, and his people. 5And if ye do not hear these words, By myself I have sworn -- an affirmation of Jehovah, That this house is for a desolation.
A Warning about the Palace
6For thus said Jehovah, Concerning the house of the king of Judah: Gilead art thou to Me -- head of Lebanon, If not -- I make thee a wilderness, Cities not inhabited.
7And I have separated for thee destroyers, Each with his weapons, And they have cut down the choice of thy cedars, And have cast them on the fire.
8And many nations have passed by this city, And they have said, each to his neighbour, For what hath Jehovah done thus to this great city? 9And they have said, 'Because that they have forsaken The covenant of Jehovah their God, And bow themselves to other gods, and serve them.'
A Warning about Jehoahaz
10Ye do not weep for the dead, nor bemoan for him, Weep ye sore for the traveller, For he doth not return again, Nor hath he seen the land of his birth.
11For thus said Jehovah concerning Shallum son of Josiah king of Judah, who is reigning instead of Josiah his father, who hath gone forth from this place: He doth not turn back hither again; 12For in the place whither they have removed him he dieth, And this land he doth not see again.
A Warning about Jehoiakim
13Woe to him who is building his house by unrighteousness, And his upper chambers by injustice, On his neighbour he layeth service for nought, And his wage he doth not give to him.
14Who is saying, 'I build for myself a large house, And airy upper chambers,' And he hath cut out for himself its windows, Ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
15Dost thou reign, because thou art fretting thyself in cedar? Thy father -- did he not eat and drink? Yea, he did judgment and righteousness, Then it is well with him.
16He decided the cause of the poor and needy, Then it is well -- is it not to know Me? An affirmation of Jehovah.
17But thine eyes and thy heart are not, Except on thy dishonest gain, And on shedding of innocent blood, And on oppression, and on doing of violence.
18Therefore, thus said Jehovah concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: They do not lament for him, Ah, my brother, and Ah, sister, They do not lament for him, Ah, lord, and Ah, his honour.
19The burial of an ass -- he is buried, Dragged and cast out thence to the gates of Jerusalem.
20Go up to Lebanon, and cry, And in Bashan give forth thy voice, And cry from Abarim, For destroyed have been all loving thee.
21I have spoken unto thee in thine ease, Thou hast said, 'I do not hearken,' This is thy way from thy youth, For thou hast not hearkened to My voice.
22All thy friends consume doth wind, And thy lovers into captivity do go, Surely then thou art ashamed, And hast blushed for all thy wickedness.
23O dweller in Lebanon, making a nest among cedars, How gracious hast thou been when pangs come to thee, Pain -- as of a travailing woman.
A Warning for Jehoiachin
24I live -- an affirmation of Jehovah, Though Coniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah Were a seal on My right hand, Surely thence I draw thee away, 25And I have given thee into the hand of those seeking thy life, And into hands of which thou art afraid, Into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26And I have cast thee, And thy mother who bore thee, unto another country, Where ye were not born, and there do ye die. 27And to the land whither they are lifting up their soul to return, Thither they do not return.
28A grief -- a despised broken thing -- is this man Coniah? A vessel in which there is no pleasure? Wherefore have they been cast up and down, He and his seed, Yea, they were cast on to a land that they knew not?
29Earth, earth, earth, hear a word of Jehovah,
30Thus said Jehovah: Write ye this man childless, A man -- he doth not prosper in his days, For none of his seed doth prosper, Sitting on the throne of David, And ruling again in Judah!
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