1Thus says the Lord: Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and there deliver this word: 2You shall say: Listen to the word of the Lord, king of Judah, who sit on the throne of David, you, your ministers, and your people who enter by these gates!a 3Thus says the Lord: Do what is right and just. Rescue the victims from the hand of their oppressors. Do not wrong or oppress the resident alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place.b 4If you carry out these commands, kings who succeed to the throne of David will continue to enter the gates of this house, riding in chariots or mounted on horses, with their ministers, and their people. 5But if you do not obey these commands, I swear by myself—oracle of the Lord: this house shall become rubble. 6For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah: Though you be to me like Gilead, like the peak of Lebanon, I swear I shall turn you into a waste, with cities uninhabited. 7Against you I will send destroyers, each with their tools: They shall cut down your choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.c 8Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another: “Why has the Lord done this to so great a city?”d 9And they will be told: “Because they have deserted their covenant with the Lord, their God, by worshiping and serving other gods.”e Jehoahaz10Do not weep for him who is dead,* nor mourn for him! Weep rather for him who is going away; never again to see the land of his birth.f 11Thus says the Lord concerning Shallum,* son of Josiah, king of Judah, his father’s successor, who left this place: He shall never return, 12but in the place where they exiled him, there he shall die; he shall never see this land again. Jehoiakim13Woe to him who builds his house on wrongdoing, his roof-chambers on injustice; Who works his neighbors without pay,* and gives them no wages.g 14Who says, “I will build myself a spacious house, with airy rooms,” Who cuts out windows for it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion. 15Must you prove your rank among kings* by competing with them in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And act justly and righteously? Then he prospered.h 16Because he dispensed justice to the weak and the poor, he prospered. Is this not to know me?— oracle of the Lord.i 17But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own gain, On shedding innocent blood and practicing oppression and extortion.j 18Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah: Jeconiah20Climb Lebanon and cry out,* in Bashan lift up your voice; Cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers are crushed.m 21I spoke to you when you were secure, but you answered, “I will not listen.” This has been your way from your youth, not to listen to my voice. 22The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds, your lovers shall go into exile. Surely then you shall be ashamed and confounded because of all your wickedness. 23You who dwell on Lebanon, who nest in the cedars, How you shall groan when pains come upon you, like the pangs of a woman in childbirth! 24As I live—oracle of the Lord—even if you, Coniah,* son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were a signet ringn on my right hand, I would snatch you off. 25I will hand you over to those who seek your life, to those you dread: Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and the Chaldeans.o 26I will cast you out, you and the mother who bore you,* into a land different from the land of your birth; and there you will die;p 27Neither shall return to the land for which they yearn.q 28Is this man Coniah a thing despised, to be broken, a vessel that no one wants? Why are he and his offspring cast out? why thrown into a land they do not know? 29O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord— 30Thus says the Lord: r Write this man down as childless,* a man who will never prosper in his life! Nor shall any of his descendants prosper, to sit upon the throne of David, to rule again over Judah. Book IntroductionFootnotesScripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Home |
    |