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13 “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,
    and his rooms by injustice;
who uses his neighbor’s service without wages,
    and doesn’t give him his hire;
14 who says, ‘I will build myself a wide house and spacious rooms,’
    and cuts out windows for himself;
with a cedar ceiling,
    and painted with red.

15 “Should you reign, because you strive to excel in cedar?
    Didn’t your father eat and drink,
    and do justice and righteousness?
    Then it was well with him.
16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy;
    so it was well, then.
Wasn’t this to know me?”
    says Yahweh.
17 But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness,
    for shedding innocent blood,
    for oppression, and for doing violence.”

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

“They won’t lament for him,
    saying, ‘Ah my brother!’ or, ‘Ah sister!’
They won’t lament for him,
    saying ‘Ah lord!’ or, ‘Ah his glory!’
19 He will be buried with the burial of a donkey,
    drawn and cast out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

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A Message concerning Jehoiakim

13 Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,(A)
his upstairs rooms through injustice,
who makes his neighbor serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,(B)
14 who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upstairs rooms.”
He will cut windows[a] in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar(C)
and painted bright red.
15 Are you a king because you excel in cedar?
Didn’t your father eat and drink
and administer justice and righteousness?(D)
Then it went well with him.
16 He took up the case of the poor and needy;(E)
then it went well.
Is this not what it means to know me?
This is the Lord’s declaration.
17 But you have eyes and a heart for nothing
except your own dishonest profit,
shedding innocent blood
and committing extortion and oppression.(F)

18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim(G) son of Josiah, king of Judah:

They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, my brother!” or “Woe, my sister!”
They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, lord! Woe, his majesty!”
19 He will be buried like a donkey,(H)
dragged off and thrown
outside Jerusalem’s gates.

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Footnotes

  1. 22:14 Lit my windows