Thus says
the LORD
, "Go
down
to the house
of the king
of Judah
, and there
speak
this
word
and say, `Hear
the word
of the LORD
, O king
of Judah
, who asits
on David's
throne
, you and your servants
and your people
who enter
these
gates
.
`Thus says
the LORD
, " aDo
justice
and righteousness
, and deliver
the one who has been robbed
from the power
of his boppressor
. Also cdo not mistreat
or do
violence
to the stranger
, the orphan
, or the widow
; and do not dshed
innocent
blood
in this
place
.
"For if you men will indeed
perform
this
thing
, then akings
will enter
the gates
of this
house
, sitting
1in David's
place on his throne
, riding
in chariots
and on horses
, even the king himself
and his servants
and his people
.
" aBut if you will not obey
these
words
, I bswear
by Myself," declares
the LORD
, "that this
house
will become
a desolation
.""'
For thus says
the LORD
concerning
the house
of the king
of Judah
: "You are like aGilead
to Me, Like the summit
of Lebanon
; Yet most
assuredly
I will make
you like a bwilderness
, Like cities
which are not inhabited
.
"For I will set apart
adestroyers
against
you, Each
with his weapons
; And they will bcut
down
your choicest
cedars
And cthrow
them on the fire
.
"Many nations
will pass
by this
city
; and they will asay
to one
another
, `Why
has the LORD
done
thus
to this
great
city
?'
"Then they will 1answer, `Because
they aforsook
the covenant
of the LORD
their God
and bowed
down
to other
gods
and served
them.' "
aDo not weep for the dead
or mourn
for him, But weep
continually
for the one who goes
away; For bhe will never
return
Or see
his native
land
.
For thus says
the LORD
in regard
to 1 aShallum
the son
of Josiah
, king
of Judah
, who became
king
in the place
of Josiah
his father
, who
went
forth
from this
place
, "He will never
return
there
;
but in the place where
they led
him captive
, there
he will adie
and not see
this
land
again
.
"Woe to him who builds
his house
awithout
righteousness
And his 1upper
rooms
without
justice
, Who uses
his neighbor's
services
without
pay
And bdoes not give
him his wages
,
Who says, `I will abuild
myself a roomy
house
With spacious
1upper
rooms
, And cut
out its windows
, 2Paneling
it with bcedar
and painting
it 3bright
red
.'
"Do you become a king
because
you are competing
in cedar
? Did not your father
eat
and drink
And ado
justice
and righteousness
? Then
it was bwell
with him.
"He pled the cause
of the aafflicted
and needy
; Then
it was well
. bIs not that what it means to know
Me?" Declares
the LORD
.
"But your eyes and your heart
Are intent only
upon your own adishonest
gain
, And on bshedding
innocent
blood
And on practicing
oppression
and extortion
."
Therefore thus
says
the LORD
in regard
to aJehoiakim
the son
of Josiah
, king
of Judah
, "They will not blament
for him: ` cAlas
, my brother
!' or, `Alas
, sister
!' They will not lament
for him: `Alas
for the master
!' or, `Alas
for his splendor
!'
"He will be aburied with a donkey's
burial
, Dragged
off and thrown
out beyond
the gates
of Jerusalem
.
"Go up to Lebanon
and cry
out, And lift
up your voice
in Bashan
; Cry
out also from aAbarim
, For all
your blovers
have been crushed
.
"I spoke to you in your prosperity
; But ayou said
, `I will not listen
!' bThis
has been your practice
cfrom your youth
, That you have not obeyed
My voice
.
"The wind will sweep
away
all
your ashepherds
, And your blovers
will go
into captivity
; Then
you will surely
be cashamed
and humiliated
Because
of all
your wickedness
.
"You who dwell in Lebanon
, Nested
in the cedars
, How
you will groan
when pangs
come
upon you, aPain
like a woman in childbirth
!
"As I live," declares
the LORD
, "even
though
1 aConiah
the son
of Jehoiakim
king
of Judah
were a bsignet
ring on My right
hand
, yet
I would pull
1you 2off
;
and I will agive you over into the hand
of those who are seeking
your life
, yes, into the hand
of those whom
you dread
, even into the hand
of Nebuchadnezzar
king
of Babylon
and into the hand
of the Chaldeans
.
"I will ahurl you and your bmother
who
bore
you into another
country
where
you were not born
, and there
you will die
.
"But as for the land to which
they desire
to return
, they will not return
to it.
"Is this man
Coniah
a despised
, shattered
jar
? Or
is he an aundesirable
vessel
? Why
have he and his descendants
been bhurled
out And cast
into a cland
that they had not known
?
" aO land, land
, land
, Hear
the word
of the LORD
!
"Thus says
the LORD
, `Write
this
man
down
achildless
, A man
who will bnot prosper
in his days
; For no
man
of his cdescendants
will prosper
Sitting
on the throne
of David
Or ruling
again
in Judah
.' "