כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה רֵ֖ד בֵּֽית־מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ שָׁ֔ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃ Thus said the LORD: Go down to the palace of the king of Judah, where you shall utter this word.
וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙ שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה הַיֹּשֵׁ֖ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א דָוִ֑ד אַתָּ֤ה וַעֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וְעַמְּךָ֔ הַבָּאִ֖ים בַּשְּׁעָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ Say: “Hear the word of the LORD: O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, and your courtiers and your subjects who enter these gates!
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה עֲשׂ֤וּ מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עָשׁ֑וֹק וְגֵר֩ יָת֨וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה אַל־תֹּנוּ֙ אַל־תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ וְדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י אַֽל־תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ Thus said the LORD: Do what is just and right; rescue from the defrauder him who is robbed; do not wrong the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow; commit no lawless act, and do not shed the blood of the innocent in this place.
כִּ֤י אִם־עָשׂוֹ֙ תַּעֲשׂ֔וּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וּבָ֣אוּ בְשַׁעֲרֵ֣י הַבַּ֣יִת הַזֶּ֡ה מְלָכִים֩ יֹשְׁבִ֨ים לְדָוִ֜ד עַל־כִּסְא֗וֹ רֹֽכְבִים֙ בָּרֶ֣כֶב וּבַסּוּסִ֔ים ה֥וּא וַעֲבָדָ֖ו וְעַמּֽוֹ׃ For if you fulfill this command, then through the gates of this palace shall enter kings of David’s line who sit upon his throne, riding horse-drawn chariots, with their courtiers and their subjects.
וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תִשְׁמְע֔וּ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה בִּ֤י נִשְׁבַּ֙עְתִּי֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּֽי־לְחׇרְבָּ֥ה יִֽהְיֶ֖ה הַבַּ֥יִת הַזֶּֽה׃ {פ}
But if you do not heed these commands, I swear by Myself—declares the LORD—that this palace shall become a ruin.”
כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה עַל־בֵּית֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה גִּלְעָ֥ד אַתָּ֛ה לִ֖י רֹ֣אשׁ הַלְּבָנ֑וֹן אִם־לֹ֤א אֲשִֽׁיתְךָ֙ מִדְבָּ֔ר עָרִ֖ים לֹ֥א (נושבה) [נוֹשָֽׁבוּ]׃ For thus said the LORD concerning the royal palace of Judah:
You are as Gilead to Me,
As the summit of Lebanon;
But I will make you a desert,
Uninhabited towns.
וְקִדַּשְׁתִּ֥י עָלֶ֛יךָ מַשְׁחִתִ֖ים אִ֣ישׁ וְכֵלָ֑יו וְכָֽרְתוּ֙ מִבְחַ֣ר אֲרָזֶ֔יךָ וְהִפִּ֖ילוּ עַל־הָאֵֽשׁ׃ I will appoint destroyers against you,
Each with his tools;
They shall cut down your choicest cedars
And make them fall into the fire.
וְעָֽבְרוּ֙ גּוֹיִ֣ם רַבִּ֔ים עַ֖ל הָעִ֣יר הַזֹּ֑את וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֔הוּ עַל־מֶ֨ה עָשָׂ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ כָּ֔כָה לָעִ֥יר הַגְּדוֹלָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ And when many nations pass by this city and one man asks another, “Why did the LORD do thus to that great city?”
וְאָ֣מְר֔וּ עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָזְב֔וּ אֶת־בְּרִ֥ית יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֑ם וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ לֵאלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים וַיַּעַבְדֽוּם׃ {ס} the reply will be, “Because they forsook the covenant with the LORD their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.”
אַל־תִּבְכּ֣וּ לְמֵ֔ת וְאַל־תָּנֻ֖דוּ ל֑וֹ בְּכ֤וּ בָכוֹ֙ לַהֹלֵ֔ךְ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָשׁוּב֙ ע֔וֹד וְרָאָ֖ה אֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ מוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ Do not weep for the deadaI.e., Josiah; see 2 Kings 23.29–30.
And do not lament for him;
Weep rather for bI.e., the king called by his throne name Jehoahaz in 2 Kings 23.31 ff., and by his private name Shallum here in v. 11 and in 1 Chron. 3.15.him who is leaving,-b
For he shall never come back
To see the land of his birth!
כִּ֣י כֹ֣ה אָֽמַר־יְ֠הֹוָ֠ה אֶל־שַׁלֻּ֨ם בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֜הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה הַמֹּלֵךְ֙ תַּ֚חַת יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ אָבִ֔יו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָצָ֖א מִן־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה לֹא־יָשׁ֥וּב שָׁ֖ם עֽוֹד׃ For thus said the LORD concerning ShallumbI.e., the king called by his throne name Jehoahaz in 2 Kings 23.31 ff., and by his private name Shallum here in v. 11 and in 1 Chron. 3.15. son of King Josiah of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah as king, but who has gone forth from this place: He shall never come back.
כִּ֗י בִּמְק֛וֹם אֲשֶׁר־הִגְל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ שָׁ֣ם יָמ֑וּת וְאֶת־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַזֹּ֖את לֹֽא־יִרְאֶ֥ה עֽוֹד׃ {ס} He shall die in the place to which he was exiled, and he shall not see this land again.
ה֣וֹי בֹּנֶ֤ה בֵיתוֹ֙ בְּֽלֹא־צֶ֔דֶק וַעֲלִיּוֹתָ֖יו בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֑ט בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יַעֲבֹ֣ד חִנָּ֔ם וּפֹעֲל֖וֹ לֹ֥א יִתֶּן־לֽוֹ׃ Ha! he who builds his house with unfairness
And his upper chambers with injustice,
Who makes his fellow man work without pay
And does not give him his wages,
הָאֹמֵ֗ר אֶבְנֶה־לִּי֙ בֵּ֣ית מִדּ֔וֹת וַעֲלִיּ֖וֹת מְרֻוָּחִ֑ים וְקָ֤רַֽע לוֹ֙ חַלּוֹנָ֔י וְסָפ֣וּן בָּאָ֔רֶז וּמָשׁ֖וֹחַ בַּשָּׁשַֽׁר׃ Who thinks: I will build me a vast palace
With spacious upper chambers,
Provided with windows,
Paneled in cedar,
Painted with vermilion!
הֲתִֽמְלֹ֔ךְ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה מְתַחֲרֶ֣ה בָאָ֑רֶז אָבִ֜יךָ הֲל֧וֹא אָכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֗ה וְעָשָׂ֤ה מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה אָ֖ז ט֥וֹב לֽוֹ׃ Do you think you are more a king
Because you compete in cedar?
Your father cI.e., he was content with the simple necessities of life.ate and drank-c
And dispensed justice and equity—
Then all went well with him.
דָּ֛ן דִּין־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְי֖וֹן אָ֣ז ט֑וֹב הֲלוֹא־הִ֛יא הַדַּ֥עַת אֹתִ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ He upheld the rights of the poor and needy—
Then all was well.
dOr “That is the reward for heeding Me.”That is truly heeding Me-d
—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 your mind are only
On ill-gotten gains,
On shedding the blood of the innocent,
On committing fraud and violence.
לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־יְהוֹיָקִ֤ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֙הוּ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה לֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ ל֔וֹ ה֥וֹי אָחִ֖י וְה֣וֹי אָח֑וֹת לֹא־יִסְפְּד֣וּ ל֔וֹ ה֥וֹי אָד֖וֹן וְה֥וֹי הֹדֹֽה׃ Assuredly, thus said the LORD concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:
eThey shall express neither sorrow at the loss of a relative nor grief at the death of a ruler.They shall not mourn for him,
“Ah, brother! Ah, sister!”
They shall not mourn for him,
“Ah, lord! Ah, his majesty!”-e
קְבוּרַ֥ת חֲמ֖וֹר יִקָּבֵ֑ר סָח֣וֹב וְהַשְׁלֵ֔ךְ מֵהָ֖לְאָה לְשַׁעֲרֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ {ס} He shall have the burial of an ass,
Dragged out and left lying
Outside the gates of Jerusalem.
עֲלִ֤י הַלְּבָנוֹן֙ וּֽצְעָ֔קִי וּבַבָּשָׁ֖ן תְּנִ֣י קוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְצַֽעֲקִי֙ מֵעֲבָרִ֔ים כִּ֥י נִשְׁבְּר֖וּ כׇּל־מְאַהֲבָֽיִךְ׃ fIsrael is addressed.Climb Lebanon and cry out,
Raise your voice in Bashan,
Cry out from Abarim,
For all your lovers are crushed.
דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ בְּשַׁלְוֺתַ֔יִךְ אָמַ֖רְתְּ לֹ֣א אֶשְׁמָ֑ע זֶ֤ה דַרְכֵּךְ֙ מִנְּעוּרַ֔יִךְ כִּ֥י לֹא־שָׁמַ֖עַתְּ בְּקוֹלִֽי׃ I spoke to you when you were prosperous;
You said, “I will not listen.”
That was your way ever since your youth,
You would not heed Me.
כׇּל־רֹעַ֙יִךְ֙ תִּרְעֶה־ר֔וּחַ וּֽמְאַהֲבַ֖יִךְ בַּשְּׁבִ֣י יֵלֵ֑כוּ כִּ֣י אָ֤ז תֵּבֹ֙שִׁי֙ וְנִכְלַ֔מְתְּ מִכֹּ֖ל רָעָתֵֽךְ׃ All your shepherdsgChange of vocalization yields “paramours.” shall be devoured by the wind,
And your lovers shall go into captivity.
Then you shall be shamed and humiliated
Because of all your depravity.
(ישבתי) [יֹשַׁבְתְּ֙] בַּלְּבָנ֔וֹן (מקננתי) [מְקֻנַּ֖נְתְּ] בָּאֲרָזִ֑ים מַה־נֵּחַנְתְּ֙ בְּבֹא־לָ֣ךְ חֲבָלִ֔ים חִ֖יל כַּיֹּלֵדָֽה׃ You who dwell in Lebanon,
Nestled among the cedars,
hSeptuagint reads “How you will groan.”How much grace will you have-h
When pains come upon you,
Travail as in childbirth!
חַי־אָ֘נִי֮ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה֒ כִּ֣י אִם־יִהְיֶ֞ה כׇּנְיָ֤הוּ בֶן־יְהֽוֹיָקִים֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה חוֹתָ֖ם עַל־יַ֣ד יְמִינִ֑י כִּ֥י מִשָּׁ֖ם אֶתְּקֶֽנְךָּ׃ As I live—declares the LORD—iHeb. “If Coniah…were…”; Coniah (Jeconiah in 24.1) is identical with Jehoiachin, 2 Kings 24.8 ff.if you, O King Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, of Judah, were-i a signet on my right hand, I would tear you off even from there.
וּנְתַתִּ֗יךָ בְּיַד֙ מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ וּבְיַ֛ד אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה יָג֖וֹר מִפְּנֵיהֶ֑ם וּבְיַ֛ד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּבְיַ֥ד הַכַּשְׂדִּֽים׃ I will deliver you into the hands of those who seek your life, into the hands of those you dread, into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and into the hands of the Chaldeans.
וְהֵטַלְתִּ֣י אֹתְךָ֗ וְאֶֽת־אִמְּךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְלָדַ֔תְךָ עַ֚ל הָאָ֣רֶץ אַחֶ֔רֶת אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יֻלַּדְתֶּ֖ם שָׁ֑ם וְשָׁ֖ם תָּמֽוּתוּ׃ I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another land, where you were not born; there you shall both die.
וְעַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֛ם מְנַשְּׂאִ֥ים אֶת־נַפְשָׁ֖ם לָשׁ֣וּב שָׁ֑ם שָׁ֖מָּה לֹ֥א יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃ {פ}
They shall not return to the land that they yearn to come back to.
הַעֶ֨צֶב נִבְזֶ֜ה נָפ֗וּץ הָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ כׇּנְיָ֔הוּ אִ֨ם־כְּלִ֔י אֵ֥ין חֵ֖פֶץ בּ֑וֹ מַדּ֤וּעַ הֽוּטְלוּ֙ ה֣וּא וְזַרְע֔וֹ וְהֻ֨שְׁלְכ֔וּ עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדָֽעוּ׃ Is this man Coniah
A wretched broken pot,
A vessel no one wants?
Why are he and his offspring hurled out,
And cast away in a land they knew not?
אֶ֥רֶץ אֶ֖רֶץ אָ֑רֶץ שִׁמְעִ֖י דְּבַר־יְהֹוָֽה׃ O land, land, land,
Hear the word of the LORD!
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה כִּתְב֞וּ אֶת־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַזֶּה֙ עֲרִירִ֔י גֶּ֖בֶר לֹא־יִצְלַ֣ח בְּיָמָ֑יו כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יִצְלַ֜ח מִזַּרְע֗וֹ אִ֚ישׁ יֹשֵׁב֙ עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א דָוִ֔ד וּמֹשֵׁ֥ל ע֖וֹד בִּיהוּדָֽה׃ {פ}
Thus said the LORD:
Record this man as without succession,
One who shall never be found acceptable;
For no man of his offspring shall be accepted
To sit on the throne of David
And to rule again in Judah.