|
|
|
|
1. The Lord said, "Jeremiah, go down to the king's palace. Go to the king of Judah and tell this message there:
|
1. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 ; Go down H3381 to the house H1004 of the king H4428 of Judah H3063 , and speak H1696 there H8033 H853 this H2088 word H1697 ,
|
|
2. 'Listen to the message from the Lord, King of Judah. You rule from David's throne, so listen. King, you and your officials must listen well. All of your people who come through the gates of Jerusalem must listen to the message from the Lord.
|
2. And say H559 , Hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 , O king H4428 of Judah H3063 , that sittest H3427 upon H5921 the throne H3678 of David H1732 , thou H859 , and thy servants H5650 , and thy people H5971 that enter H935 in by these H428 gates H8179 :
|
|
3. This is what the Lord says: Do what is right and fair. Protect those who have been robbed from the ones who robbed them. Don't hurt or do anything wrong to orphans or widows. Don't kill innocent people.
|
3. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 ; Execute H6213 ye judgment H4941 and righteousness H6666 , and deliver H5337 the spoiled H1497 out of the hand H4480 H3027 of the oppressor H6216 : and do no H408 wrong H3238 , do no H408 violence H2554 to the stranger H1616 , the fatherless H3490 , nor the widow H490 , neither H408 shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood H1818 in this H2088 place H4725 .
|
|
4. If you obey these commands, kings who sit on David's throne will continue to come through the gates into the city of Jerusalem. They will come through the gates with their officials. The kings, their officials, and their people will come riding in chariots and on horses.
|
4. For H3588 if H518 ye do H6213 H853 this H2088 thing H1697 indeed H6213 , then shall there enter in H935 by the gates H8179 of this H2088 house H1004 kings H4428 sitting H3427 upon H5921 the throne H3678 of David H1732 , riding H7392 in chariots H7393 and on horses H5483 , he H1931 , and his servants H5650 , and his people H5971 .
|
|
5. But if you don't obey these commands, this is what the Lord says: I, the Lord, promise that this king's palace will be destroyed�it will become a pile of rocks.'"
|
5. But if H518 ye will not H3808 hear H8085 H853 these H428 words H1697 , I swear H7650 by myself, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , that H3588 this H2088 house H1004 shall become H1961 a desolation H2723 .
|
|
6. This is what the Lord says about the palace where the king of Judah lives: "The palace is tall like the forests of Gilead, like the mountains of Lebanon. But I will make it like a desert, as empty as a city where no one lives.
|
6. For H3588 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 unto H5921 the king H4428 's house H1004 of Judah H3063 ; Thou H859 art Gilead H1568 unto me, and the head H7218 of Lebanon H3844 : yet surely H518 H3808 I will make H7896 thee a wilderness H4057 , and cities H5892 which are not H3808 inhabited H3427 .
|
|
7. I will send men to destroy the palace, each armed with weapons. They will cut up your strong, beautiful cedar beams and throw the beams into the fire.
|
7. And I will prepare H6942 destroyers H7843 against H5921 thee , every one H376 with his weapons H3627 : and they shall cut down H3772 thy choice H4005 cedars H730 , and cast H5307 them into H5921 the fire H784 .
|
|
8. "People from many nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, 'Why has the Lord done such a terrible thing to Jerusalem? Jerusalem was such a great city.'
|
8. And many H7227 nations H1471 shall pass H5674 by H5921 this H2063 city H5892 , and they shall say H559 every man H376 to H413 his neighbor H7453 , Wherefore H5921 H4100 hath the LORD H3068 done H6213 thus H3602 unto this H2063 great H1419 city H5892 ?
|
|
9. This will be the answer to that question: 'God destroyed Jerusalem because the people of Judah stopped following the agreement of the Lord their God. They worshiped and served other gods.'"
|
9. Then they shall answer H559 , Because H5921 H834 they have forsaken H5800 H853 the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 their God H430 , and worshiped H7812 other H312 gods H430 , and served H5647 them.
|
|
10. Don't cry for the king who has died. Don't cry for him. But cry very hard for the king who must leave this place. Cry for him because he will never return or see his homeland again.
|
10. Weep H1058 ye not H408 for the dead H4191 , neither H408 bemoan H5110 him: but weep sore H1058 H1058 for him that goeth away H1980 : for H3588 he shall return H7725 no H3808 more H5750 , nor see H7200 H853 his native H4138 country H776 .
|
|
11. This is what the Lord says about Shallum (Jehoahaz) son of Josiah. (He became king of Judah after his father Josiah died.) "Jehoahaz has gone away from Jerusalem. He will never return.
|
11. For H3588 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 touching H413 Shallum H7967 the son H1121 of Josiah H2977 king H4428 of Judah H3063 , which reigned H4427 instead H8478 of Josiah H2977 his father H1 , which H834 went forth H3318 out of H4480 this H2088 place H4725 ; He shall not H3808 return H7725 thither H8033 any more H5750 :
|
|
12. Jehoahaz will die in the place where the Egyptians have taken him, and he will not see this land again."
|
12. But H3588 he shall die H4191 in the place H4725 whither H834 H8033 they have led him captive H1540 H853 , and shall see H7200 this H2063 land H776 no H3808 more H5750 .
|
|
13. "It will be very bad for King Jehoiakim. He is doing wrong so that he can build his palace. He is cheating people so that he can build rooms upstairs. He is not paying his own people. He is making them work for nothing.
|
13. Woe H1945 unto him that buildeth H1129 his house H1004 by unrighteousness H3808 H6664 , and his chambers H5944 by wrong H3808 H4941 ; that useth his neighbor H7453 's service H5647 without wages H2600 , and giveth H5414 him not H3808 for his work H6467 ;
|
|
14. "Jehoiakim says, 'I will build myself a great palace, with huge rooms upstairs.' So he built it with large windows. He used cedar word for paneling, and he painted it red.
|
14. That saith H559 , I will build H1129 me a wide H4060 house H1004 and large H7304 chambers H5944 , and cutteth him out H7167 windows H2474 ; and it is ceiled H5603 with cedar H730 , and painted H4886 with vermilion H8350 .
|
|
15. "Jehoiakim, having a lot of cedar in your house does not make you a great king. Your father Josiah was satisfied to have food and drink. He did what was right and fair, so everything went well for him.
|
15. Shalt thou reign H4427 , because H3588 thou H859 closest H8474 thyself in cedar H730 ? did not H3808 thy father H1 eat H398 and drink H8354 , and do H6213 judgment H4941 and justice H6666 , and then H227 it was well H2896 with him?
|
|
16. Josiah helped poor and needy people, so everything went well for him. Jehoiakim, what does it mean "to know God"? It means living right and being fair. That is what it means to know me. This message is from the Lord.
|
16. He judged H1777 the cause H1779 of the poor H6041 and needy H34 ; then H227 it was well H2896 with him: was not H3808 this H1931 to know H1847 me? saith H5002 the LORD H3068 .
|
|
17. "Jehoiakim, your eyes look only for what benefits yourself. You are always thinking about getting more for yourself. You are willing to kill innocent people. You are willing to steal things from other people."
|
17. But H3588 thine eyes H5869 and thine heart H3820 are not H369 but for H3588 H518 H5921 thy covetousness H1215 , and for H5921 to shed H8210 innocent H5355 blood H1818 , and for H5921 oppression H6233 , and for H5921 violence H4835 , to do H6213 it .
|
|
18. So this is what the Lord says to King Jehoiakim son of Josiah: "The people of Judah will not cry for Jehoiakim. They will not say to each another, 'Brother, I am so sad! Sister, I am so sad!' They will not cry for Jehoiakim. They will not say about him, 'Master, I am so sad! King, I am so sad!'
|
18. Therefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 concerning H413 Jehoiakim H3079 the son H1121 of Josiah H2977 king H4428 of Judah H3063 ; They shall not H3808 lament H5594 for him, saying , Ah H1945 my brother H251 ! or, Ah H1945 sister H269 ! they shall not H3808 lament H5594 for him, saying , Ah H1945 lord H113 ! or, Ah H1945 his glory H1935 !
|
|
19. The people of Jerusalem will bury Jehoiakim like a donkey. They will drag his body away and throw it outside the gates of Jerusalem.
|
19. He shall be buried H6912 with the burial H6900 of an ass H2543 , drawn H5498 and cast forth H7993 beyond H4480 H1973 the gates H8179 of Jerusalem H3389 .
|
|
20. "Judah, go up to the mountains of Lebanon and cry out. Let your voice be heard in the mountains of Bashan. Cry out in the mountains of Abarim, because all your 'lovers' will be destroyed.
|
20. Go up H5927 to Lebanon H3844 , and cry H6817 ; and lift up H5414 thy voice H6963 in Bashan H1316 , and cry H6817 from the passages H4480 H5676 : for H3588 all H3605 thy lovers H157 are destroyed H7665 .
|
|
21. "Judah, you felt safe, but I warned you. I warned you, but you refused to listen. You have lived like this from the time you were young. And from the time you were young, you have not obeyed me, Judah.
|
21. I spoke H1696 unto H413 thee in thy prosperity H7962 ; but thou saidst H559 , I will not H3808 hear H8085 . This H2088 hath been thy manner H1870 from thy youth H4480 H5271 , that H3588 thou obeyedst H8085 not H3808 my voice H6963 .
|
|
22. Judah, the punishment I give will come like a storm, and it will blow all your shepherds away. You thought some of the other nations would help you. But these nations will also be defeated. Then you will really be disappointed. You will be ashamed of all the evil things you did.
|
22. The wind H7307 shall eat up H7462 all H3605 thy pastors H7462 , and thy lovers H157 shall go H1980 into captivity H7628 : surely H3588 then H227 shalt thou be ashamed H954 and confounded H3637 for all H4480 H3605 thy wickedness H7451 .
|
|
23. "King, you seem so safe in your palace of cedar. It's as if you live in Lebanon! But when your punishment comes, you will groan. You will be in pain like a woman giving birth!"
|
23. O inhabitant H3427 of Lebanon H3844 , that makest thy nest H7077 in the cedars H730 , how H4100 gracious H2603 shalt thou be when pangs H2256 come H935 upon thee , the pain H2427 as of a woman in travail H3205 !
|
|
24. "As surely as I live," says the Lord, "I will do this to you, Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah: Even if you were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off.
|
24. As I H589 live H2416 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , though H3588 H518 Coniah H3659 the son H1121 of Jehoiakim H3079 king H4428 of Judah H3063 were H1961 the signet H2368 upon H5921 my right H3225 hand H3027 , yet H3588 would I pluck H5423 thee thence H4480 H8033 ;
|
|
25. Jehoiachin, I will give you to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians. Those are the people you are afraid of. They want to kill you.
|
25. And I will give H5414 thee into the hand H3027 of them that seek H1245 thy life H5315 , and into the hand H3027 of them whose H834 face H4480 H6440 thou H859 fearest H3016 , even into the hand H3027 of Nebuchadnezzar H5019 king H4428 of Babylon H894 , and into the hand H3027 of the Chaldeans H3778 .
|
|
26. I will throw you and your mother into another country where neither of you was born. You and your mother will die in that country.
|
26. And I will cast thee out H2904 H853 , and thy mother H517 that H834 bore H3205 thee, into H5921 another H312 country H776 , where H834 H8033 ye were not H3808 born H3205 ; and there H8033 shall ye die H4191 .
|
|
27. Jehoiachin, you will want to come back to your land, but you will never be allowed to come back."
|
27. But to H5921 the land H776 whereunto H834 H8033 they H1992 desire H5375 H853 H5315 to return H7725 , thither H8033 shall they not H3808 return H7725 .
|
|
28. Jehoiachin is like a broken pot that someone threw away. He is like a pot that no one wants. Why will Jehoiachin and his children be thrown out and sent away into a foreign land?
|
28. Is this H2088 man H376 Coniah H3659 a despised H959 broken H5310 idol H6089 ? is he a vessel H3627 wherein is no H369 pleasure H2656 ? wherefore H4069 are they cast out H2904 , he H1931 and his seed H2233 , and are cast H7993 into H5921 a land H776 which H834 they know H3045 not H3808 ?
|
|
29. Land, land, land of Judah! Listen to the message of the Lord!
|
29. O earth H776 , earth H776 , earth H776 , hear H8085 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 .
|
|
30. The Lord says, "Write this down about Jehoiachin: 'He does not have children anymore! Jehoiachin will not be successful because none of his children will sit on the throne of David. None of his children will rule in Judah.'"
|
30. Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 , Write H3789 ye H853 this H2088 man H376 childless H6185 , a man H1397 that shall not H3808 prosper H6743 in his days H3117 : for H3588 no H3808 man H376 of his seed H4480 H2233 shall prosper H6743 , sitting H3427 upon H5921 the throne H3678 of David H1732 , and ruling H4910 any more H5750 in Judah H3063 .
|