Jeremiah 22:1–8

Judgment Against Wicked Kings

22This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king^c of Judah and proclaim this message there: ²‘Hear^d the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne^e—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.^{f 3}This is what the Lord says: Do what is just^g and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor^h the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow,ⁱ and do not shed innocent blood^j in this place. ⁴For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings^k 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. ⁵But if you do not obey^l these commands, declares the Lord, I swear^m by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’ ”

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

“Though you are like Gileadⁿ to me,

like the summit of Lebanon,^o

I will surely make you like a wasteland,^p

like towns not inhabited.

⁷I will send destroyers^q against you,

each man with his weapons,

and they will cut^r up your fine cedar beams

and throw them into the fire.^s

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?’^t