Jeremiah 22:4–8

4 For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’ ”

6 For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah:

“Though you are like Gilead to me,

like the summit of Lebanon,

I will surely make you like a wasteland,

like towns not inhabited.

7 I will send destroyers against you,

each man with his weapons,

and they will cut up your fine cedar beams

and throw them into the fire.

8 “People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’

4 For if you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their servants and their people. 5 But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation. 6 For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah:

“ ‘You are like Gilead to me,

like the summit of Lebanon,

yet surely I will make you a desert,

an uninhabited city.

7 I will prepare destroyers against you,

each with his weapons,

and they shall cut down your choicest cedars

and cast them into the fire.

8 “ ‘And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, “Why has the Lord dealt thus with this great city?”

4 If you obey me, there will always be a descendant of David sitting on the throne here in Jerusalem. The king will ride through the palace gates in chariots and on horses, with his parade of attendants and subjects. 5 But if you refuse to pay attention to this warning, I swear by my own name, says the Lord, that this palace will become a pile of rubble.’ ”

6 Now this is what the Lord says concerning Judah’s royal palace:

“I love you as much as fruitful Gilead

and the green forests of Lebanon.

But I will turn you into a desert,

with no one living within your walls.

7 I will call for wreckers,

who will bring out their tools to dismantle you.

They will tear out all your fine cedar beams

and throw them on the fire.

8 “People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, ‘Why did the Lord destroy such a great city?’

4 For if you indeed do this thing, then shall enter the gates of this house, riding on horses and in chariots, accompanied by servants and people, kings who sit on the throne of David. 5 But if you will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,” says the Lord, “that this house shall become a desolation.” ’ ”

6 For thus says the Lord to the house of the king of Judah:

“You are Gilead to Me,

The head of Lebanon;

Yet I surely will make you a wilderness,

Cities which are not inhabited.

7 I will prepare destroyers against you,

Everyone with his weapons;

They shall cut down your choice cedars

And cast them into the fire.

8 And many nations will pass by this city; and everyone will say to his neighbor, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this great city?’

4 If you carefully obey these commands, kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace with their officers and people, riding in chariots and on horses. 5 But if you don’t obey these commands, says the Lord, I swear by my own name that this king’s palace will become a ruin.’ ”

6 This is what the Lord says about the palace where the king of Judah lives:

“You are tall like the forests of Gilead,

like the mountaintops of Lebanon.

But I will truly make you into a desert,

into towns where no one lives.

7 I will send men to destroy the palace,

each with his weapons.

They will cut up your strong, beautiful cedar beams

and throw them into the fire.

8 “People from many nations will pass by this city and ask each other, ‘Why has the Lord done such a terrible thing to Jerusalem, this great city?’

4 For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. 5 But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith Jehovah, that this house shall become a desolation. 6 For thus saith Jehovah concerning the house of the king of Judah: Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon; yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited. 7 And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons; and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire. 8 And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbor, Wherefore hath Jehovah done thus unto this great city?

4 For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in through the gates of this house kings sitting in the place of David upon his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, —he, and his servants, and his people. 5 But if ye will not hear these words, I have sworn by myself, saith Jehovah, that this house shall become a waste. 6 For thus saith Jehovah concerning the house of the king of Judah: Thou art a Gilead unto me, the summit of Lebanon: verily I will make thee a wilderness, cities not inhabited. 7 And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons; and they shall cut down the choice of thy cedars, and cast them into the fire. 8 And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath Jehovah done thus unto this great city?

4 If you do what I say, then the kings who sit on David’s throne will ride through the gates of this palace in chariots and on horses along with their officials and their people. 5 But if you don’t do what I say, I will take an oath on myself,” declares the Lord, “that this palace will become a pile of rubble. 

6 “This is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah: 

This palace is like Gilead to me, 

like the top of Lebanon. 

I will certainly turn it into a desert, 

into cities that no one lives in. 

7 I will send people to destroy you. 

They will have their own weapons. 

They will cut down your finest cedar trees 

and throw them on a fire. 

8 “People from many nations will pass by this city and ask each other, ‘Why has the Lord done this to this important city?’

4 For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses—they, their officers, and their people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself ”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“that this house will become a ruin.”

6 For this is what the Lord says concerning the house of the king of Judah:

You are like Gilead to Me,

or the summit of Lebanon,

but I will certainly turn you into a wilderness,

uninhabited cities.

7 I will appoint destroyers against you,

each with his weapons.

They will cut down the choicest of your cedars

and throw them into the fire.

8 “Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why did the Lord do such a thing to this great city?’

4 For if you will indeed obey this word, then through the gates of this house shall enter kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses—they, their servants, and their people. 5 But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation. 6 For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah:

You are like Gilead to me,

like the summit of Lebanon,

but I swear that I will make you a desert,

uninhabited cities.

7 I will prepare destroyers against you,

all with their weapons;

they shall cut down your choicest cedars

and cast them into the fire.

8 And many nations will pass by this city, and all of them will say one to another, “Why has the Lord dealt in this way with that great city?”

4 And if you indeed obey this word, then kings who sit for David on his throne will enter through the gates of this house, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people. 5 But if you do not obey these words, I swear by myself,” declares Yahweh, “that this house will become a site of ruins.” ’ ”

6 For thus says Yahweh concerning the house of the king of Judah,

“You are like Gilead to me,

like the head of the Lebanon.

Surely I will make you a desert,

like cities that are not inhabited.

7 And I will consecrate against you destroyers,

everyone with his weapons,

and they will cut down your choicest cedars,

and cast them on the fire.

8 And many nations will pass by this city and they will say each one to his neighbor, ‘Why has Yahweh done in this manner to this great city?’

4 “ ‘ “Be careful to obey those commands. Then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace. They will come riding in chariots and on horses. Their officials and their people will come along with them.

5 “ ‘ “But suppose you do not obey those commands,” announces the Lord. “Then I promise you that this palace will be destroyed. I make that promise by taking an oath in my own name.” ’ ”

6 The Lord speaks about the palace of the king of Judah. He says,

“You are like the land of Gilead to me.

You are like the highest mountain in Lebanon.

But I will make you like a desert.

You will become like towns that no one lives in.

7 I will send destroyers against you.

All of them will come with their weapons.

They will cut up your fine cedar beams.

They will throw them into the fire.

8 “People from many nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’

4 “For if you men will indeed perform this thing, then kings will enter the gates of this house, sitting in David’s place on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people.

5 “But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself,” declares the Lord, “that this house will become a desolation.” ’ ”

6 For thus says the Lord concerning the house of the king of Judah:

“You are like Gilead to Me,

Like the summit of Lebanon;

Yet most assuredly I will make you like a wilderness,

Like cities which are not inhabited.

7 “For I will set apart destroyers against you,

Each with his weapons;

And they will cut down your choicest cedars

And throw them on the fire.

8 “Many nations will pass by this city; and they will say to one another, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this great city?’