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13 “Woe to him who builds his house (A)without righteousness
And his [a]upper rooms without justice,
Who uses his neighbor’s services without pay
And (B)does not give him his wages,
14 Who says, ‘I will (C)build myself a roomy house
With spacious [b]upper rooms
And cut out its windows,
[c]Paneling it with (D)cedar and painting it [d]bright red.’
15 Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar?
Did not your father eat and drink
And (E)do justice and righteousness?
Then it was (F)well with him.
16 He pled the cause of the (G)afflicted and needy;
Then it was well.
(H)Is not that what it means to know Me?”
Declares Yahweh.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
Are set on nothing except your own (I)greedy gain
And on (J)shedding innocent blood
And on doing oppression and extortion.”

18 Therefore thus says Yahweh in regard to (K)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah,

“They will not (L)lament for him:
(M)Alas, my brother!’ or, ‘Alas, sister!’
They will not lament for him:
‘Alas for the master!’ or, ‘Alas for his splendor!’
19 He will be (N)buried with a donkey’s burial,
Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 22:13 Or roof chambers
  2. Jeremiah 22:14 Or roof chambers
  3. Jeremiah 22:14 Or Paneled
  4. Jeremiah 22:14 Or vermilion

An Oracle against Jehoiakim

13 “How terrible for him who builds his house
    without righteousness,
and its upper rooms without justice,
    who makes his neighbor work for nothing,
    and does not pay him his wage.
14 How terrible for[a] him who says, ‘I’ll build a large
    house for myself with spacious upper rooms,
who cuts out windows for it,
    paneling it with cedar and painting it red.’
15 Are you a king because you try to outdo
    everyone with cedar?
Your father ate and drank and upheld
    justice and righteousness, did he not?
        And then it went well for him.
16 He judged the case of the poor and needy.
    And then it went well for him.
        Isn’t this what it means to know me?
17 But your eyes and heart are on nothing but
    your dishonest gain,
shedding the blood of innocent people,
    and practicing oppression and extortion.”

18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Josiah’s son Jehoiakim, king of Judah,

“They won’t lament for him with these words:[b]
    ‘How terrible, my brother,
        How terrible, my sister!’
They won’t lament for him with these words:[c]
    ‘How terrible, lord,
        How terrible, your[d] majesty!’
19 He will receive[e] a donkey’s burial,
    dragged out and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 22:14 The Heb. lacks How terrible for
  2. Jeremiah 22:18 The Heb. lacks with these words
  3. Jeremiah 22:18 The Heb. lacks with these words
  4. Jeremiah 22:18 The Heb. lacks your
  5. Jeremiah 22:19 Lit. be buried with