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Jeremiah 22
New Catholic Bible
Jeremiah 22
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 22
1 Thus said the Lord to me: Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and there deliver this message: 2 Listen to the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, as you sit on the throne of David—you, your officials, and your people who enter through these gates. 3 Thus says the Lord: Act justly and with righteousness, and rescue the victim from the hand of his oppressor. Do not ill-treat aliens, orphans, and widows, or show violence toward them, or shed innocent blood in this place.
4 If you will indeed be faithful in carrying out these commands, then the kings who succeed to the throne of David will continue to enter through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots or on horseback—they, their officials, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these commands, then I swear by myself, says the Lord, that this palace will become a ruin.
6 For thus says the Lord concerning the palace of the king of Judah:
Although you are like Gilead to me,
like a peak of Lebanon,
I swear that I will turn you into a desert,
an uninhabited city.
7 I will send forth destroyers to annihilate you,
each man equipped with his weapons.
They will cut down your finest cedars
and cast them into the fire.
8 People from many nations will pass by this city, and they will ask one another, “Why has the Lord dealt in this manner with this great city?” 9 And the answer will be given, “Because they abandoned their covenant with the Lord, their God, in order to worship other gods and serve them.”
Jehoahaz
10 Do not weep for the man who is dead;
mourn not for him.
Weep rather for him who has gone into exile,
for he will never return again
to see the land of his birth.
11 For thus says the Lord about Shallum, the son of King Josiah of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah as king and was forced to leave this place, “He will never return. 12 Rather, he will die in the place where he was sent into exile, and he will never see this land again.”
Jehoiakim
13 Woe to the man who builds his house without righteousness
and his upper room with injustice,
who forces his neighbors to work for nothing
and gives them no recompense for their labor,
14 who says, “I will build myself a spacious home
with large upper rooms,”
and who inserts windows in it,
panels it with cedar,
and paints it with vermilion.
15 Are you any better a king
because your cedar is so splendid?
Did not your father have enough to eat and drink?
But because he did what was right and just,
all went well with him.
16 Because he dispensed justice to the poor and needy
things continued to go well for him.
Is this not what it means to know me?
asks the Lord.
17 But your eyes and your heart
are concerned only with your own interests;
you do not hesitate to shed innocent blood
and to perpetrate oppression and violence.
18 Therefore, thus says the Lord concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah, the son of Josiah:
They will not lament for him, saying,
“Alas, my brother!” or “Alas, sister!”
They will not mourn for him.
“Alas, my master!” “Alas, his splendor!”
19 He will be buried like a dead donkey
dragged forth and cast out
beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
Jeconiah
20 Go up to Lebanon and cry out;
lift up your voice in Bashan.
Cry out from Abarim,
for all your lovers have been crushed.[a]
21 I spoke to you when you enjoyed prosperity,
but you replied, “I will not listen.”
You have behaved this way from your youth,
refusing to listen to my voice.
22 The wind will carry away all your shepherds,
and your lovers will go off into captivity.
Then you will be ashamed and blush
because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in Lebanon
and make your nest among the cedars,
how you will groan when anguish overcomes you,
pangs like those of a woman in labor.
24 As I live, says the Lord, even if you, King Coniah of Judah, the son of Jehoiakim, were the signet ring on my right hand, I would still tear you off 25 and deliver you into the hands of those who seek your life, into the hands of those whom you fear, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and into the hands of the Chaldeans. 26 I will fling you and the mother who bore you into another country, where neither of you were born, and there you both will die. 27 You will never return to the country to which you so desperately long to return.
28 Is this man Coniah a despised damaged pot,
a vessel in which no one is interested?
Why are he and his offspring cast out
and thrown into a land
that they know nothing about?
29 O land, land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30 Thus says the Lord:
Designate this man as childless,
a man who will not prosper during his lifetime.
No descendant of his will succeed;
none will sit on the throne of David
or rule again over Judah.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 22:20 The mountainous regions named dominate the Palestinian landscape and are places from which the proclamation may spread everywhere.
Jeremiah 22
New International Version
Jeremiah 22
New International Version
Judgment Against Wicked Kings
22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king(A) of Judah and proclaim this message there: 2 ‘Hear(B) the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne(C)—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.(D) 3 This is what the Lord says: Do what is just(E) and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor(F) the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow,(G) and do not shed innocent blood(H) in this place. 4 For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings(I) who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5 But if you do not obey(J) these commands, declares the Lord, I swear(K) by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’”
6 For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah:
“Though you are like Gilead(L) to me,
like the summit of Lebanon,(M)
I will surely make you like a wasteland,(N)
like towns not inhabited.
7 I will send destroyers(O) against you,
each man with his weapons,
and they will cut(P) up your fine cedar beams
and throw them into the fire.(Q)
8 “People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’(R) 9 And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.(S)’”
10 Do not weep for the dead(T) king or mourn(U) his loss;
rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled,
because he will never return(V)
nor see his native land again.
11 For this is what the Lord says about Shallum[a](W) son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: “He will never return. 12 He will die(X) in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again.”
13 “Woe(Y) to him who builds(Z) his palace by unrighteousness,
his upper rooms by injustice,
making his own people work for nothing,
not paying(AA) them for their labor.
14 He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace(AB)
with spacious upper rooms.’
So he makes large windows in it,
panels it with cedar(AC)
and decorates it in red.(AD)
15 “Does it make you a king
to have more and more cedar?
Did not your father have food and drink?
He did what was right and just,(AE)
so all went well(AF) with him.
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,(AG)
and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know(AH) me?”
declares the Lord.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
are set only on dishonest gain,(AI)
on shedding innocent blood(AJ)
and on oppression and extortion.”(AK)
18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
“They will not mourn(AL) for him:
‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
They will not mourn for him:
‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
19 He will have the burial(AM) of a donkey—
dragged away and thrown(AN)
outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
20 “Go up to Lebanon and cry out,(AO)
let your voice be heard in Bashan,(AP)
cry out from Abarim,(AQ)
for all your allies(AR) are crushed.
21 I warned you when you felt secure,(AS)
but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;(AT)
you have not obeyed(AU) me.
22 The wind(AV) will drive all your shepherds(AW) away,
and your allies(AX) will go into exile.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced(AY)
because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in ‘Lebanon,[b](AZ)’
who are nestled in cedar buildings,
how you will groan when pangs come upon you,
pain(BA) like that of a woman in labor!
24 “As surely as I live,” declares the Lord, “even if you, Jehoiachin[c](BB) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring(BC) on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25 I will deliver(BD) you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.[d] 26 I will hurl(BE) you and the mother(BF) who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die. 27 You will never come back to the land you long to return(BG) to.”
28 Is this man Jehoiachin(BH) a despised, broken pot,(BI)
an object no one wants?
Why will he and his children be hurled(BJ) out,
cast into a land(BK) they do not know?
29 O land,(BL) land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30 This is what the Lord says:
“Record this man as if childless,(BM)
a man who will not prosper(BN) in his lifetime,
for none of his offspring(BO) will prosper,
none will sit on the throne(BP) of David
or rule anymore in Judah.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 22:11 Also called Jehoahaz
- Jeremiah 22:23 That is, the palace in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 7:2)
- Jeremiah 22:24 Hebrew Koniah, a variant of Jehoiachin; also in verse 28
- Jeremiah 22:25 Or Chaldeans
Jeremiah 22
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 22
English Standard Version
22 Thus says the Lord: “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak there this word, 2 and say, (A)‘Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates. 3 Thus says the Lord: (B)Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And (C)do no wrong or violence (D)to the resident alien, (E)the fatherless, and the widow, nor (F)shed innocent blood in this place. 4 For if you will indeed obey this word, (G)then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their servants and their people. 5 But if you will not obey these words, I (H)swear by myself, declares the Lord, that (I)this house shall become a desolation. 6 For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah:
“‘You are like Gilead to me,
like the summit of (J)Lebanon,
yet surely I will make you a desert,
(K)an uninhabited city.[a]
7 (L)I will prepare destroyers against you,
each with his weapons,
(M)and they shall cut down your choicest cedars
and cast them into the fire.
8 “‘And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, (N)“Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city?” 9 (O)And they will answer, “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and worshiped other gods and served them.”’”
10 (P)Weep not for him who is dead,
nor grieve for him,
(Q)but weep bitterly for him who goes away,
for he shall return no more
to see his native land.
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 (R)who went away from this place: “He shall return here no more, 12 but (S)in the place where they have carried him captive, there shall he die, and he shall never see this land again.”
13 (T)“Woe to him who builds his house by (U)unrighteousness,
and his upper rooms by injustice,
(V)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 (W)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 (X)do justice and righteousness?
(Y)Then it was well with him.
16 (Z)He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
(AA)then it was well.
Is not this (AB)to know me?
declares the Lord.
17 But you have eyes and heart
only for your dishonest gain,
(AC)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:
(AD)“They shall not lament for him, saying,
(AE)‘Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’
They shall not lament for him, saying,
(AF)‘Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’
19 With the burial of a donkey (AG)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 (AH)Abarim,
for all (AI)your lovers are destroyed.
21 I spoke to you in your prosperity,
but you said, ‘I will not listen.’
(AJ)This has been your way from (AK)your youth,
that you have not obeyed my voice.
22 (AL)The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds,
and (AM)your lovers shall go into captivity;
(AN)then you will be ashamed and confounded
because of all your evil.
23 O inhabitant of (AO)Lebanon,
nested among the cedars,
how you will be pitied when pangs come upon you,
(AP)pain as of a woman in labor!”
24 (AQ)“As I live, declares the Lord, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, were (AR)the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off 25 and (AS)give you (AT)into the hand of those who seek your life, into the hand of those of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 (AU)I will hurl you and (AV)the mother who bore you into another country, where you were not born, and there you shall die. 27 But to the land to which they will long to return, there they shall not return.”
28 Is this man (AW)Coniah a despised, broken pot,
a (AX)vessel no one cares for?
Why are he and his children hurled and cast
into a (AY)land that they do not know?
29 (AZ)O land, land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30 Thus says the Lord:
“Write this man down as (BA)childless,
a man who shall not succeed in his days,
(BB)for none of his offspring shall succeed
(BC)in sitting on the throne of David
and ruling again in Judah.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 22:6 Hebrew cities
Jeremiah 22
King James Version
Jeremiah 22
King James Version
22 Thus saith the Lord; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
2 And 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:
3 Thus 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.
4 For 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.
5 But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.
6 For 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.
7 And 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.
8 And 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?
9 Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
10 Weep 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.
11 For 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:
12 But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.
13 Woe 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;
14 That 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.
15 Shalt 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?
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the Lord.
17 But 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.
18 Therefore 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!
19 He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.
21 I 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.
22 The 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.
23 O 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!
24 As 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;
25 And 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.
26 And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.
27 But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.
28 Is 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?
29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord.
30 Thus 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.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.