Jeremiah 22:1-9 - Judgment Against Sinful Kings

¹ Thus, said Yahweh, Go thou down to the house of king of Judah, and speak thou there this word, ² and say - Hear thou the word of Yahweh O king of Judah who sittest upon the throne of David, - thou, and thy servants and thy people who enter in at these gates, ³ Thus, saith Yahweh, - Execute ye justice, and righteousness, And deliver the robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, - But the sojourner the fatherless, and the widow, do not oppress neither commit violence, And the blood of the innocent, do not ye shed, in this place. ⁴ For if ye, indeed do, this thing, then shall there enter into the gates of this house - kings, sitting for 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, By myself have I sworn Declareth Yahweh - That, a ruin, shall this house become.

⁶ For Thus, saith Yahweh Concerning the house of the king of Judah, - Though thou wast Gilead, to me, The summit of Lebanon, Yet surely I will make thee, A wilderness, Cities, not habitable; ⁷ And I will hallow against thee Destroyers Every man with his weapons, - And they shall cut down of the choicest of thy cedars, and cast upon the fire.

⁸ Then shall many nations pass by this city, - and shall say, every man to his neighbour, For what cause, hath Yahweh done thus, unto this great city? ⁹ And they shall say, Because they forsook the covenant of Yahweh, their God, - And bowed down to other gods And served them.