Jeremiah 22:13-23 - A Message Concerning Jehoiakim

¹³ Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by injustice, who uses his neighbor's service without wages, and gives him not his hire, ¹⁴ who says, I will build me a wide house and spacious chambers, and cuts out windows for himself, and it is overlaid with cedar, and painted with vermilion. ¹⁵ Shall thou reign, because thou strive to excel in cedar? Did not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. ¹⁶ He judged the cause of the poor and needy man, then it was well. Was not this to know me? says LORD. ¹⁷ But thine eyes and thy heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for shedding innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.

¹⁸ Therefore thus says LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah. They shall not lament for him, [saying], Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! They shall not lament for him, [saying] Ah lord! or, Ah his glory! ¹⁹ He shall be buried with the burial of a donkey, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem. ²⁰ Go up to Lebanon, and cry. And lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from Abarim. For all thy lovers are destroyed. ²¹ I spoke to thee in thy prosperity, but thou said, I will not hear. This has been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyed not my voice. ²² The wind shall feed all thy shepherds, and thy loved ones shall go into captivity. Surely then thou shall be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness. ²³ O inhabitant of Lebanon, who makes thy nest in the cedars, how greatly to be pitied thou shall be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!