A Warning to Judah’s Kings
כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה רֵ֖ד בֵּֽית־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃
This is what the LORD says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there,
וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א דָוִ֑ד אַתָּ֤ה וַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֔ הַבָּאִ֖ים בַּשְּׁעָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ ס
saying, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David—you and your officials and your people who enter these gates.
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עֲשׂ֤וּ מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עָשׁ֑וֹק וְגֵר֩ יָת֨וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה אַל־תֹּנוּ֙ אַל־תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ וְדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י אַֽל־תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.
כִּ֤י אִם־עָשׂוֹ֙ תַּֽעֲשׂ֔וּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וּבָ֣אוּ בְשַׁעֲרֵ֣י הַבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּ֡ה מְלָכִים֩ יֹשְׁבִ֨ים לְדָוִ֜ד עַל־כִּסְא֗וֹ רֹֽכְבִים֙ בָּרֶ֣כֶב וּבַסּוּסִ֔ים ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖יו וְעַמּֽוֹ׃
For if you will indeed carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses—they and their officials and their people.
וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְע֔וּ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בִּ֤י נִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה כִּי־לְחָרְבָּ֥ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃ ס
But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself, declares the LORD, that this house will become a pile of rubble.’”
A Warning about the Palace
כִּֽי־כֹ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עַל־בֵּית֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה גִּלְעָ֥ד אַתָּ֛ה לִ֖י רֹ֣אשׁ הַלְּבָנ֑וֹן אִם־לֹ֤א אֲשִֽׁיתְךָ֙ מִדְבָּ֔ר עָרִ֖ים לֹ֥א נוֹשָֽׁבוּ׃
For this is what the LORD says concerning the house of the king of Judah: “You are like Gilead to Me, like the summit of Lebanon; but I will surely turn you into a desert, like cities that are uninhabited.
וְקִדַּשְׁתִּ֥י עָלֶ֛יךָ מַשְׁחִתִ֖ים אִ֣ישׁ וְכֵלָ֑יו וְכָֽרְתוּ֙ מִבְחַ֣ר אֲרָזֶ֔יךָ וְהִפִּ֖ילוּ עַל־הָאֵֽשׁ׃
I will appoint destroyers against you, each man with his weapons, and they will cut down the choicest of your cedars and throw them into the fire.
וְעָֽבְרוּ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עַ֖ל הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֑את וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֔הוּ עַל־מֶ֨ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְהוָה֙ כָּ֔כָה לָעִ֥יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
And many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this great city?’
וְאָ֣מְר֔וּ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָֽזְב֔וּ אֶת־בְּרִ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹֽהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ לֵאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַיַּעַבְדֽוּם׃ ס
Then people will reply, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’”
A Warning about Shallum
אַל־תִּבְכּ֣וּ לְמֵ֔ת וְאַל־תָּנֻ֖דוּ ל֑וֹ בְּכ֤וּ בָכוֹ֙ לַֽהֹלֵ֔ךְ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָשׁוּב֙ ע֔וֹד וְרָאָ֖ה אֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ ס
Do not weep for him who is dead; do not mourn his loss. Weep bitterly for him who is exiled, for he will never return to see his native land.
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְ֠הוָה אֶל־שַׁלֻּ֨ם בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֜הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה הַמֹּלֵךְ֙ תַּ֚חַת יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָ֖א מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה לֹֽא־יָשׁ֥וּב שָׁ֖ם עֽוֹד׃
For this is what the LORD says concerning Shallum son of Josiah, king of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah but has gone forth from this place: “He will never return,
כִּ֗י בִּמְק֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הִגְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ שָׁ֣ם יָמ֑וּת וְאֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לֹֽא־יִרְאֶ֥ה עֽוֹד׃ ס
but he will die in the place to which he was exiled; he will never see this land again.”
A Warning about Jehoiakim
ה֣וֹי בֹּנֶ֤ה בֵיתוֹ֙ בְּֽלֹא־צֶ֔דֶק וַעֲלִיּוֹתָ֖יו בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֑ט בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יַעֲבֹ֣ד חִנָּ֔ם וּפֹעֲל֖וֹ לֹ֥א יִתֶּן־לֽוֹ׃
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,
הָאֹמֵ֗ר אֶבְנֶה־לִּי֙ בֵּ֣ית מִדּ֔וֹת וַעֲלִיּ֖וֹת מְרֻוָּחִ֑ים וְקָ֤רַֽע לוֹ֙ חַלּוֹנָ֔י וְסָפ֣וּן בָּאָ֔רֶז וּמָשׁ֖וֹחַ בַּשָּׁשַֽׁר׃
who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion.
הֲתִֽמְלֹ֔ךְ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה מְתַחֲרֶ֣ה בָאָ֑רֶז אָבִ֜יךָ הֲל֧וֹא אָכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֗ה וְעָשָׂ֤ה מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה אָ֖ז ט֥וֹב לֽוֹ׃
Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.
דָּ֛ן דִּין־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְי֖וֹן אָ֣ז ט֑וֹב הֲלוֹא־הִ֛יא הַדַּ֥עַת אֹתִ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃
He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD.
כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין עֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ וְלִבְּךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־עַל־בִּצְעֶ֑ךָ וְעַ֤ל דַּֽם־הַנָּקִי֙ לִשְׁפּ֔וֹךְ וְעַל־הָעֹ֥שֶׁק וְעַל־הַמְּרוּצָ֖ה לַעֲשֽׂוֹת׃ ס
“But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אֶל־יְהוֹיָקִ֤ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה לֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ ל֔וֹ ה֥וֹי אָחִ֖י וְה֣וֹי אָח֑וֹת לֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ ל֔וֹ ה֥וֹי אָד֖וֹן וְה֥וֹי הֹדֽוֹ׃
Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
קְבוּרַ֥ת חֲמ֖וֹר יִקָּבֵ֑ר סָח֣וֹב וְהַשְׁלֵ֔ךְ מֵהָ֖לְאָה לְשַׁעֲרֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ ס
He will be buried like a donkey, dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.
עֲלִ֤י הַלְּבָנוֹן֙ וּֽצְעָ֔קִי וּבַבָּשָׁ֖ן תְּנִ֣י קוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְצַֽעֲקִי֙ מֵֽעֲבָרִ֔ים כִּ֥י נִשְׁבְּר֖וּ כָּל־מְאַהֲבָֽיִךְ׃
Go up to Lebanon and cry out; raise your voice in Bashan; cry out from Abarim, for all your lovers have been crushed.
דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ בְּשַׁלְוֹתַ֔יִךְ אָמַ֖רְתְּ לֹ֣א אֶשְׁמָ֑ע זֶ֤ה דַרְכֵּךְ֙ מִנְּעוּרַ֔יִךְ כִּ֥י לֹֽא־שָׁמַ֖עַתְּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃
I warned you when you were secure. You said, ‘I will not listen.’ This has been your way from youth, that you have not obeyed My voice.
כָּל־רֹעַ֙יִךְ֙ תִּרְעֶה־ר֔וּחַ וּֽמְאַהֲבַ֖יִךְ בַּשְּׁבִ֣י יֵלֵ֑כוּ כִּ֣י אָ֤ז תֵּבֹ֙שִׁי֙ וְנִכְלַ֔מְתְּ מִכֹּ֖ל רָעָתֵֽךְ׃
The wind will drive away all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Then you will be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness.
יֹשַׁבְתְּ֙ בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן מְקֻנַּ֖נְתְּ בָּֽאֲרָזִ֑ים מַה־נֵּחַנְתְּ֙ בְּבֹא־לָ֣ךְ חֲבָלִ֔ים חִ֖יל כַּיֹּלֵדָֽה׃
O inhabitant of Lebanon, nestled in the cedars, how you will groan when pangs of anguish come upon you, agony like a woman in labor.”
A Warning to Coniah
חַי־אָנִי֮ נְאֻם־יְהוָה֒ כִּ֣י אִם־יִהְיֶ֞ה כָּנְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־יְהֽוֹיָקִים֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה חוֹתָ֖ם עַל־יַ֣ד יְמִינִ֑י כִּ֥י מִשָּׁ֖ם אֶתְּקֶֽנְךָּ׃
“As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “even if you, Coniah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on My right hand, I would pull you off.
וּנְתַתִּ֗יךָ בְּיַד֙ מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וּבְיַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָג֖וֹר מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וּבְיַ֛ד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּבְיַ֥ד הַכַּשְׂדִּֽים׃
In fact, I will hand you over to those you dread, who want to take your life—to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to the Chaldeans.
וְהֵֽטַלְתִּ֣י אֹתְךָ֗ וְאֶֽת־אִמְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְלָדַ֔תְךָ עַ֚ל הָאָ֣רֶץ אַחֶ֔רֶת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יֻלַּדְתֶּ֖ם שָׁ֑ם וְשָׁ֖ם תָּמֽוּתוּ׃
I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another land, where neither of you were born—and there you both will die.
וְעַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֛ם מְנַשְּׂאִ֥ים אֶת־נַפְשָׁ֖ם לָשׁ֣וּב שָׁ֑ם שָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃ ס
You will never return to the land for which you long.”
הַעֶ֨צֶב נִבְזֶ֜ה נָפ֗וּץ הָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ כָּנְיָ֔הוּ אִ֨ם־כְּלִ֔י אֵ֥ין חֵ֖פֶץ בּ֑וֹ מַדּ֤וּעַ הֽוּטֲלוּ֙ ה֣וּא וְזַרְע֔וֹ וְהֻ֨שְׁלְכ֔וּ עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדָֽעוּ׃
Is this man Coniah a despised and shattered pot, a jar that no one wants? Why are he and his descendants hurled out and cast into a land they do not know?
כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה כִּתְב֞וּ אֶת־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ עֲרִירִ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר לֹא־יִצְלַ֣ח בְּיָמָ֑יו כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יִצְלַ֜ח מִזַּרְע֗וֹ אִ֚ישׁ יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א דָוִ֔ד וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל ע֖וֹד בִּיהוּדָֽה׃
This is what the LORD says: “Enroll this man as childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime. None of his descendants will prosper to sit on the throne of David or to rule again in Judah.”