4 If you will honestly do what I tell you, then kings who sit on David's throne will ride on chariots and horses with their officials through the gates of this palace. They'll be accompanied by the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. 5 But if you refuse to obey what I say, then I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this palace will be turned into rubble.
6 This is what the Lord says about the royal family of the king of Judah: You are as dear to me as the forests on Gilead and on the mountains of Lebanon. But I will turn you into a desert, into towns where no one lives. 7 I will choose men to come and destroy you, each with their own ax. They will chop down your fine cedars*The palace was made of many large cedars. See 21:14. and throw them in the fire.
8 Foreigners from many nations will pass by this city and ask each another, “Why has the Lord done such terrible things to this great city?”
9 People will answer, “Because they broke the agreement of the Lord their God. They went and worshiped other gods.”
10 Don't weep over the king that died. Don't mourn for him. Instead weep for the king who is exiled, who will never return, who will never see his homeland again.
11 This is what the Lord says about Jehoahaz†Here called “Shallum.”. of Josiah, king of Judah. He succeeded his father Josiah but was taken away. He will never return. 12 He will die in exile; he will never see this country again.
13 Trouble is coming to Jehoiakim‡Jehoiakim is not actually mentioned by name until verse 18. because he mistreats others in building his palace, by dealing unfairly with those constructing the upper floors. He makes his own people work for nothing—he doesn't pay them any wages.
14 He says to himself, “I'm going to build myself a great palace, with large upper rooms.” He has windows inserted, puts in cedar panels, and paints it bright red with vermilion.
15 Does it make you a king just because you have more cedar than anyone else? Your father had food and drink, didn't he? He ruled fairly and honestly, and he had a good life because of this. 16 He defended the poor and those in need, and so things went well. Isn't this what knowing me really means? declares the Lord.
17 But all you're looking for, all you think about, is getting whatever you want, however dishonestly. You kill the innocent, you violently mistreat and exploit your people.
18 So this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah:
19 His burial will be that of a donkey. He'll be dragged off and thrown away outside the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Go to Lebanon and cry for help! Shout in Bashan! Scream from Abarim! For all your lovers have been destroyed.§All the places mentioned are mountains, so the image is of a call being shouted out from there. The lovers would most likely refer to those nations with which an alliance had been made. 21 I warned you when you thought you were safe and sound. But you replied, “I'm not going to listen!” That's been your attitude since you were young—you never did what I told you.
22 The wind will blow away all your “shepherds,”*“Shepherds”: a reference to the leaders of the nation. and your lovers will go into exile. Then you will be shamed and disgraced because of all the evil things you've done.
23 You who live in “Lebanon” in your cedar nest,†Another reference to Solomon's cedar palace. how much you're going to groan when agonizing pains hit you like a woman in labor.
24 The Lord said to Jehoiachin,‡Here called “Coniah.” Also verse 28. son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah: As I live, declares the Lord, even if you were a signet ring on a finger of my right hand, I would pull you off. 25 I'm going to hand you over to those who terrify you and who want to kill you, to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and the Babylonians. 26 I'm going to throw you out—you and the mother who gave birth to you—sending you to another country. Neither of you were born there, but both of you will die there. 27 You won't ever return to the country you love so much.
28 Who is this man Jehoiachin? A broken pot that's been thrown away, something nobody wants? Why has he and his children been thrown out, exiled in an unfamiliar country?
29 My country, my country, my country! Listen to what the Lord has to say!
30 This is what the Lord says: Put this man down as having no children. He's a man who won't ever be successful in his whole life. None of his children will ever be successful either. None of them will sit on David's throne or be king in Judah.
<- Jeremiah 21Jeremiah 23 ->- a The palace was made of many large cedars. See 21:14.
- b Here called “Shallum.”.
- c Jehoiakim is not actually mentioned by name until verse 18.
- d All the places mentioned are mountains, so the image is of a call being shouted out from there. The lovers would most likely refer to those nations with which an alliance had been made.
- e “Shepherds”: a reference to the leaders of the nation.
- f Another reference to Solomon's cedar palace.
- g Here called “Coniah.” Also verse 28.