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Judgment Against Evil Kings

22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the ·palace [L house] of the king of Judah and ·prophesy this message [L say this word] there: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, king of Judah, who ·rules from [L sits on] David’s throne. You and your officers, and your people who come through these gates, listen! This is what the Lord says: Do ·what is fair and right [L justice and righteousness]. ·Save [Protect; Rescue] the one who has been robbed from the ·power [L hand] of his ·attacker [L oppressor]. Don’t mistreat or ·hurt [do violence to] the ·foreigners [resident aliens; Ex. 23:21; Lev. 19:33], orphans, or widows [Ex. 22:22; Deut. 10:18; 27:19]. Don’t ·kill innocent people [L spill innocent blood; Deut. 19:10; 27:25] here. If you carefully ·obey these commands [perform this word], kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this ·palace [L house] with their officers and people, riding in chariots and on horses. But if you don’t ·obey these commands [L listen to these words], says the Lord, I swear by my ·own name [L myself] that this ·king’s palace [L house] will become a ruin.’”

This is what the Lord says about the ·palace where the king of Judah lives [L house of the king of Judah]:

“You are like Gilead to me,
    like the ·mountaintops [summit] of ·Lebanon [C lush; the palace was built with the cedars of Lebanon; 1 Kin. 7:2].
But I will truly make you into a ·desert [wilderness],
    into towns where no one lives.
I will ·send [L consecrate; set apart] ·men to destroy the palace [destroyers],
    each with his weapons.
They will cut up your ·strong, beautiful cedar beams [L choice cedars]
    and throw them into the fire.

“People from many nations will pass by this city and ask each other, ‘Why has the Lord done such a terrible thing to Jerusalem, this great city?’ And the answer will be: ‘Because they [C the people of Judah] ·quit following [abandoned; forsook] the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with the Lord their God. They ·worshiped [bowed down to] and served other gods.’”

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Warning of Jerusalem’s Fall

22 Thus says the Lord, “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak this word there: ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David—you and your servants and your people who enter by these gates. Thus says the Lord, “Execute justice and righteousness, and rescue the one who has been robbed from the hand of his oppressor. And do no wrong; do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. For if you will indeed obey this word, then kings will enter through the gates of this palace, sitting in David’s place on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people. But if you will not hear and obey these words, I swear [an oath] by Myself,” says the Lord, “that this house will become a desolation.”’” For thus says the Lord in regard to the house of the king of Judah:

“You are [as valuable] to Me as [the green pastures of] Gilead [east of the Jordan]
Or as the [plentiful] summit of Lebanon [west of the Jordan],
Yet most certainly [if you will not listen to Me] I will make you a wilderness,
And uninhabited cities.

“For I will prepare and appoint destroyers [to execute My judgments] against you,
Each with his weapons;
And they will cut down your [palaces built of] choicest cedars
And throw them in the fire.

“Many nations will pass by this city; and each man will say to another, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this great city?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because the people ignored and abandoned the [solemn] covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’”

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