Jeremiah 22:1-17

Thus says the LORD, “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak this word there: ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David—you and your servants and your people who enter by these gates. Thus says the LORD, “Execute justice and righteousness, and rescue the one who has been robbed from the hand of his oppressor. And do no wrong; do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. For if you will indeed obey this word, then kings will enter through the gates of this palace, sitting in David’s place on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people. But if you will not hear and obey these words, I swear [an oath] by Myself,” says the LORD, “that this house will become a desolation.” ’ ” For thus says the LORD in regard to the house of the king of Judah: “You are [as valuable] to Me as [the green pastures of] Gilead [east of the Jordan] Or as the [plentiful] summit of Lebanon [west of the Jordan], Yet most certainly [if you will not listen to Me] I will make you a wilderness, And uninhabited cities. “For I will prepare and appoint destroyers [to execute My judgments] against you, Each with his weapons; And they will cut down your [palaces built of] choicest cedars And throw them in the fire. “Many nations will pass by this city; and each man will say to another, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this great city?’ Then they will answer, ‘Because the people ignored and abandoned the [solemn] covenant with the LORD their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’ ” ¶Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him; But weep bitterly for the one who goes away [into exile], For he will never return And see his native country [again]. For thus says the LORD in regard to Shallum (Jehoahaz) the [third] son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father and who went from this place, “Shallum will not return here anymore; he will die in the place where they led him captive and not see this land again. ¶“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], 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.’ “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. “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. “But your eyes and your heart Are only intent on your own dishonest gain, On shedding innocent blood, On oppression and extortion and violence.”