Warning of Jerusalem’s Fall

1Thus says the LORD, “Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak this word there: 2‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David--you and your servants and your people who enter by these gates. 3Thus says the LORD, “Execute justice and righteousness, and rescue the one who has been robbed from the hand of his oppressor. And do no wrong; do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. 4For if you will indeed obey this word, then kings will enter through the gates of this palace, sitting in David’s place on his throne, riding in chariots and on horses, even the king himself and his servants and his people. 5But if you will not hear and obey these words, I swear [an oath] by Myself,” says the LORD, “that this house will become a desolation.”’” 6For thus says the LORD in regard to the house of the king of Judah:

“You are [as valuable] to Me as [the green pastures of] Gilead [east of the Jordan]

Or as the [plentiful] summit of Lebanon [west of the Jordan],

Yet most certainly [if you will not listen to Me] I will make you a wilderness,

And uninhabited cities.

7“For I will prepare and appoint destroyers [to execute My judgments] against you,

Each with his weapons;

And they will cut down your [palaces built of] choicest cedars

And throw them in the fire.

8“Many nations will pass by this city; and each man will say to another, ‘Why has the LORD done this to this great city?’ 9Then they will answer, ‘Because the people ignored and abandoned the [solemn] covenant with the LORD their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’”

10Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him;

But weep bitterly for the one who goes away [into exile],

For he will never return

And see his native country [again].

11For thus says the LORD in regard to Shallum (Jehoahaz) the [third] son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father and who went from this place, “Shallum will not return here anymore; 12he will die in the place where they led him captive and not see this land again.

Messages about the Kings