Jeremiah 22:13-19
Expanded Bible
Judgment Against Jehoiakim
13 “·How terrible it will be for one [Woe to the one; C King Jehoiakim (605–597 bc), placed on the throne by the Egyptian pharaoh to replace his brother Jehoahaz; 2 Kin. 23:34] who builds his ·palace [L house] by ·doing evil [L unrighteousness],
·who cheats people so he can build its upper rooms [his upper rooms without justice].
He makes his ·own people [L neighbors] work for nothing
and does not pay them.
14 He says, ‘I will build a ·great palace [L spacious house] for myself
with large upper rooms.’
So he ·builds it with [cuts out] large windows
and uses cedar wood for the ·walls [panels],
which he paints ·red [vermilion].
15 “Does having a lot of cedar [C in your house]
make you a great king?
·Your father was satisfied to [L Did not your father…?; C Josiah, a godly king] have food and drink.
He did what was right and fair,
so everything went well for him.
16 He ·helped [L judged the cause of] those who were poor and needy,
so everything went well for him.
·That is what it [L Is this not what it…?] means to know ·God [L me],”
says the Lord.
17 “But ·you only look for and think about [L your eyes and your heart are on]
what you can get dishonestly.
You are even willing to ·kill innocent people [L pour out innocent blood] to get it.
You feel free to ·hurt [oppress] people and to steal from them.”
18 So this is what the Lord says to Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
“They [C the people of Judah] will not cry [mourn] ·when Jehoiakim dies [L for him],
saying: ‘·Oh [Woe], my brother,’ or ‘·Oh [Woe], my sister.’
They will not ·cry [mourn] for him, saying:
‘·Oh [Woe], master,’ or ‘·Oh [Woe], my king.’
19 They will bury him like a donkey,
dragging and throwing his body away
outside the gates of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah 22:13-19
Amplified Bible
Messages about the Kings
13
“Woe (judgment is coming) to him who builds his house by [acts of] unrighteousness
And his upper chambers by injustice,
Who uses his neighbor’s service without pay
And does not give him wages [for his work],
14
Who says, ‘I will build myself a spacious house
With large upper rooms,
And cut out its [wide] windows,
And panel it with cedar and paint it vermilion.’
15
“Do you think that you become a king because you have much more cedar [in your palace than Solomon]?
Did not your father [Josiah], as he ate and drank,
Do just and righteous acts [being upright and in right standing with God]?
Then all was well with him.
16
“He defended the cause of the afflicted and needy;
Then all was well.
Is that not what it means to know Me?”
Says the Lord.
17
“But your eyes and your heart
Are only intent on your own dishonest gain,
On shedding innocent blood,
On oppression and extortion and violence.”
18 Therefore thus says the Lord in regard to [a]Jehoiakim the [second] son of Josiah, king of Judah,
“The relatives will not lament (mourn over with expressions of grief) for him:
‘Alas, my brother!’ or, ‘Alas, sister,’ [how great our loss]!
The subjects will not lament for him:
‘Alas, master!’ or ‘Alas, majesty [how great was his glory]!’
19
“[b]He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey—
Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 22:18 Originally named Eliakim, he was renamed Jehoiakim by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt and placed on the throne of Judah after Neco deposed and imprisoned Jehoiakim’s younger brother, King Jehoahaz (also called Shallum), because Jehoahaz was allied with Babylon instead of Egypt.
- Jeremiah 22:19 Jehoiakim was killed during Babylon’s second attack. His body was desecrated and thrown out as food for scavengers.
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