Dual Panel1The Lord <03068> told <0559> me, “Go down <03381> to the palace <01004> of the king <04428> of Judah <03063>. Give <01696> him a message <01697> from me there <08033>.
2Say <0559>: ‘Listen <08085>, O king <04428> of Judah <03063> who follows <03427> in David’s <01732> succession <03678>. You <0859>, your officials <05650>, and your subjects <05971> who pass through <0935> the gates <08179> of this <0428> palace must listen to what <01697> the Lord <03068> says.
3The Lord <03068> says <0559>, “Do <06213> what is just <04941> and right <06666>. Deliver <05337> those who have been robbed <01497> from those who oppress <06216> <03027> them. Do not <0408> exploit <03238> or <0408> mistreat <02554> foreigners <01616> who live in your land, children who have no fathers <03490>, or widows <0490>. Do not <0408> kill <08210> innocent <05355> people <01818> in this <02088> land <04725>.
4If <0518> <03588> you are careful to obey <06213> <06213> these <02088> commands <01697>, then the kings <04428> who follow <03427> in David’s <01732> succession <03678> and ride <07392> in <05921> chariots <07393> or on horses <05483> will continue to come <0935> through the gates <08179> of this <02088> palace <01004>, as will their <01931> officials <05650> and their subjects <05971>.
5But, if <0518> you do not <03808> obey <08085> these <0428> commands <01697>, I solemnly swear <07650> that <03588> this <02088> palace <01004> will become <01961> a pile of rubble <02723>. I, the Lord <03068>, affirm <05002> it!”
6“‘For <03588> the Lord <03068> says <0559> concerning <05921> the palace <01004> of the king <04428> of Judah <03063>, “This place looks like a veritable forest of Gilead <01568> to me. It is like the wooded heights <07218> of Lebanon <03844> in my eyes. But I swear that I will make <07896> it like a wilderness <04057> whose towns <05892> have all been deserted <03427> <03808>.
7I will send <06942> men <0376> against <05921> it to destroy <07843> it with their axes and hatchets <03627>. They will hack up <03772> its fine <04005> cedar panels and columns <0730> and throw <05307> them into <05921> the fire <0784>.
8“‘People from other nations <01471> will pass by <05674> this <02063> city <05892>. They will ask <0559> one <0376> another <07453>, “Why <04100> has the Lord <03068> done <06213> such a thing <03602> to this <02063> great <01419> city <05892>?”
9The answer <0559> will come <0559> back <05921>, “It is because <0834> they broke <05800> their covenant <01285> with the Lord <03068> their God <0430> and worshiped <07812> and served <05647> other <0312> gods <0430>.”
10“‘Do not <0408> weep <01058> for the king who was killed <04191>. Do not <0408> grieve <05110> for him. But weep mournfully <01058> <01058> for the king who has gone <01980> into exile. For <03588> he will never <03808> return <07725> to see <07200> his native <04138> land <0776> again <05750>.
11“‘For <03588> the Lord <03068> has spoken <0559> about <0413> Shallum <07967> son <01121> of Josiah <02977>, who succeeded <08478> <04427> his father <01> as <0834> king <04428> of Judah <03063> but was carried off <03318> into exile <04725>. He has said, “He will never <03808> return <07725> to this <02088> land.
12For <03588> he will die <04191> in the country <04725> where <08033> <0834> they took <01540> him as a captive <01540>. He will never <03808> see <07200> this <02063> land <0776> again <05750>.”
13“‘Sure to be judged <01945> is the king who builds <01129> his palace <01004> using injustice <06664> <03808> and treats people unfairly <04941> <03808> while adding its upper rooms <05944>. He makes <05647> his countrymen <07453> work <06467> for him for nothing <02600>. He does not <03808> pay <05414> them for their labor.
14He says <0559>, “I will build <01129> myself a large <04060> palace <01004> with spacious <07304> upper rooms <05944>.” He cuts <07167> windows <02474> in its walls, panels <05603> it with cedar <0730>, and paints <04886> its rooms red <08350>.
15Does it make you any more of a king <04427> that <03588> you <0859> outstrip <08474> everyone else in building with cedar <0730>? Just think about your father <01>. He was content that he had food <0398> and drink <08354>. He did <06213> what was just and right <06666> <04941>. So <0227> things went well <02896> with him.
16He upheld <01777> the cause <01779> of the poor <06041> and needy <034>. So things went well for Judah.’ The Lord <03068> says <05002>, ‘That <0227> is a good <02896> example of what it <01931> means to know <01847> me.’
17But <03588> you are always thinking and looking for ways to increase your wealth by dishonest <01215> means. Your eyes <05869> and your heart <03820> are set on <05921> killing <01818> some innocent <05355> person and committing <06213> fraud <04835> and oppression <06233>.
18So <03651> the Lord <03068> has this <03541> to say <0559> about <0413> Josiah’s <02977> son <01121>, King <04428> Jehoiakim <03079> of Judah <03063>: People will not <03808> mourn <05594> for him, saying, “This makes me sad, my brother <0251>! This makes me sad, my sister <0269>!” They will not <03808> mourn <05594> for him, saying, “Poor, poor <01945> lord <0113>! Poor, poor <01945> majesty <01935>!”
19He will be left unburied <06912> just like a dead donkey <02543>. His body will be dragged off <05498> and thrown <07993> outside <01973> the gates <08179> of Jerusalem <03389>.’”
20People of Jerusalem, go up <05927> to Lebanon <03844> and cry out <06817> in mourning. Go to the land of Bashan <01316> and cry out loudly <06963> <05414>. Cry out <06817> in mourning from the mountains of Moab <05682>. For <03588> your allies <0157> have all <03605> been defeated <07665>.
21While you were feeling secure <07962> I gave <01696> you warning <01696>. But you said <0559>, “I refuse <03808> to <0413> listen <08085> to you.” That <02088> is the way <01870> you have acted from your earliest history <05271> onward. Indeed <03588>, you have never <03808> paid attention <08085> to me.
22My judgment will carry off <07462> all <03605> your leaders <07462> like a storm wind <07307>! Your allies <0157> will go <01980> into captivity <07628>. Then <0227> you will certainly <03588> be disgraced <0954> and put to shame <03637> because of all <03605> the wickedness <07451> you have done.
23You may feel as secure as a bird nesting <07077> in the cedars <0730> of Lebanon <03844>. But oh how <04100> you will groan <02603> when the pains <02256> of judgment come on <0935> you. They will be like those of a woman giving birth to a baby <03205>.
24The Lord <03068> says <05002>, “As surely <02416> as I <0589> am the living God, you, Jeconiah <03659>, king <04428> of Judah <03063>, son <01121> of Jehoiakim <03079>, will not <0518> be the earthly representative <02368> of my authority <03027>. Indeed, I will take that <03588> right <03225> away from you.
25I will hand <03027> <05414> you over <03027> <05414> to those who want to take <01245> your life <05315> and of whom <0834> you <0859> are afraid <03016>. I will hand <03027> you over <03027> to King <04428> Nebuchadnezzar <05019> of Babylon <0894> and his Babylonian soldiers <03778>.
26I will force <02904> you and your mother <0517> who <0834> gave <03205> you birth <03205> into <05921> exile. You will be exiled to a country <0776> where <08033> <0834> neither <03808> of you were born <03205>, and you will both die <04191> there <08033>.
27You will never <03808> come back <07725> to <05921> this land <0776> to which <0834> you <01992> will long to <05315> <05375> return <07725>!”
28This <02088> man <0376>, Jeconiah <03659>, will be like a broken <05310> pot <06089> someone threw away <0959>. He will be like a clay vessel <03627> that no <0369> one wants <02656>. Why <04069> will he and his <01931> children <02233> be forced into exile <02904>? Why will they be thrown out <07993> into <05921> a country <0776> they know <03045> nothing <03808> about?
29O land <0776> of Judah, land <0776> of Judah, land <0776> of Judah! Listen <08085> to what <01697> the Lord <03069> has to say!
30The Lord <03068> says <0559>, “Enroll <03789> this <02088> man <0376> in the register as though he were childless <06185>. Enroll him as a man <01397> who will not <03808> enjoy success <06743> during his lifetime <03117>. For <03588> none <03808> of his sons <0376> <02233> will succeed <06743> in occupying <03427> the throne <03678> of David <01732> or ever <05750> succeed in ruling <04910> over Judah <03063>.”