Warning of Jerusalem’s Fall

22 This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and there speak this word, ² and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, who ^(A)sits on David’s throne, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates. ³ This is what the Lord says: “^(B)Do justice and righteousness, and save one who has been robbed from the power of his ^(C)oppressor. And ^(D)do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not ^(E)shed innocent blood in this place. ⁴ For if you will indeed perform this ^[a]instruction, then ^(F)kings will enter the gates of this house, sitting ^[b]in David’s place on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, the king himself, his servants, and his people. ^5 (G)But if you will not obey these words, I ^(H)swear by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that this house will become a place of ruins.”’” ⁶ For this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah:

⁸ “Many nations will pass by this city; and they will ^(N)say to one another, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this great city?’ ⁹ Then they will ^[c]answer, ‘Because they ^(O)abandoned the covenant of the Lord their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.’”