Message to the Sons of Josiah

11 For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and (A)who went away from this place: “He shall return here no more, 12 but (B)in the place where they have carried him captive, there shall he die, and he shall never see this land again.”

13 (C)“Woe to him who builds his house by (D)unrighteousness,
    and his upper rooms by injustice,
(E)who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing
    and does not give him his wages,
14 who says, ‘I will build myself a great house
    with spacious upper rooms,’
who cuts out windows for it,
    paneling it with cedar
    and (F)painting it with vermilion.
15 Do you think you are a king
    because you compete in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
    and (G)do justice and righteousness?
    (H)Then it was well with him.
16 (I)He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
    (J)then it was well.
Is not this (K)to know me?
    declares the Lord.
17 But you have eyes and heart
    only for your dishonest gain,
(L)for shedding innocent blood,
    and for practicing oppression and violence.”

18 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:

(M)“They shall not lament for him, saying,
    (N)‘Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’
They shall not lament for him, saying,
    (O)‘Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’
19 With the burial of a donkey (P)he shall be buried,
    dragged and dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

20 “Go up to Lebanon, and cry out,
    and lift up your voice in Bashan;
cry out from (Q)Abarim,
    for all (R)your lovers are destroyed.
21 I spoke to you in your prosperity,
    but you said, ‘I will not listen.’
(S)This has been your way from (T)your youth,
    that you have not obeyed my voice.
22 (U)The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds,
    and (V)your lovers shall go into captivity;
(W)then you will be ashamed and confounded
    because of all your evil.
23 O inhabitant of (X)Lebanon,
    nested among the cedars,
how you will be pitied when pangs come upon you,
    (Y)pain as of a woman in labor!”

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