Jeremiah 22

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 22

1¶ Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,

2And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:

3Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.

4For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.

5But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.

6For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou [art] Gilead unto me, [and] the head of Lebanon: [yet] surely I will make thee a wilderness, [and] cities [which] are not inhabited.

7And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast [them] into the fire.

8And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?

9Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.

10¶ Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: [but] weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.

11For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:

12But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.

13Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; [that] useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;

14That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and [it is] cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.

15Shalt thou reign, because thou closest [thyself] in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, [and] then [it was] well with him?

16He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then [it was] well [with him: was] not this to know me? saith the LORD.

17But thine eyes and thine heart [are] not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do [it].

18Therefore thus saith the 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!

19He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, 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 the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.

21I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; [but] thou saidst, I will not hear. This [hath been] thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

22The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.

23O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!

24[As] I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;

25And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand [of them] whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.

26And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.

27But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.

28[Is] this man Coniah a despised broken idol? [is he] a vessel wherein [is] no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?

29O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD.

30Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man [that] shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Jeremiah 22 delivers God's message to the kings of Judah, emphasizing the necessity of righteousness and justice for the nation's prosperity, warning of desolation otherwise. It condemns the unrighteous rule of Jehoiakim, prophesying his ignominious death, and foretells the exile and death of Shallum (Jehoahaz). The chapter concludes with a severe judgment against Coniah (Jehoiachin), declaring that none of his descendants will sit on David's throne.

Medium Summary

The LORD, through Jeremiah, commands the king of Judah to execute judgment and righteousness, warning that obedience will ensure the continuation of the Davidic dynasty, while disobedience will lead to the desolation of the royal house. The prophecy then shifts to specific kings, first lamenting Shallum (Jehoahaz), who will die in captivity and never return. A strong denunciation is issued against Jehoiakim for his covetousness, oppression, and shedding of innocent blood, contrasting him with his just father Josiah; Jehoiakim is condemned to an unmourned, ignominious burial outside Jerusalem. Finally, a severe judgment is pronounced upon Coniah (Jehoiachin), stating that despite his royal status, he and his mother will be cast into exile by Nebuchadrezzar, and his lineage will be barred from ruling on David's throne in Judah.

Long Summary

Jeremiah 22 opens with a divine mandate to the king of Judah, urging him and his people to practice judgment, righteousness, and to protect the vulnerable, including strangers, the fatherless, and widows, and to refrain from shedding innocent blood. The LORD promises continued prosperity and a succession of Davidic kings if these commands are heeded, but warns of utter desolation for the royal house and the city if they are ignored, leading surrounding nations to question God's judgment. The prophecy then addresses specific kings, first lamenting Shallum (Jehoahaz), who is declared to die in the land of his captivity, never to return to Judah. A scathing indictment is then leveled against King Jehoiakim for his unrighteousness, covetousness, and violent oppression, particularly for building lavish palaces using unpaid labor, a stark contrast to his righteous father Josiah, who upheld justice for the poor. Consequently, Jehoiakim is prophesied to suffer an unmourned death, with his body cast out like an ass beyond Jerusalem's gates. The chapter broadens its lament to Judah itself, depicted as one whose "lovers" (allies) are destroyed, having consistently refused to obey God's voice from its youth. The final segment delivers a severe judgment against Coniah (Jehoiachin), declaring that even if he were a precious signet, he would be plucked off and delivered into the hands of Nebuchadrezzar. Coniah and his mother are prophesied to be exiled to a foreign land where they will die, never to return. The chapter concludes with a solemn declaration that Coniah will be considered childless in terms of royal succession, and none of his descendants will prosper or rule upon the throne of David in Judah.

Core Concepts

  • Conditional KingshipThe LORD's promise of a continued Davidic dynasty is contingent upon the king and people executing judgment and righteousness, and protecting the vulnerable. Disobedience is warned to result in desolation for the royal house and the city.
  • Unrighteous RuleThe chapter strongly condemns kings like Jehoiakim for covetousness, oppression, shedding innocent blood, and building lavishly through exploitation, contrasting their rule with the justice of Josiah. Such rule leads to severe divine judgment.
  • Exile and Death in CaptivityProphecies against Shallum (Jehoahaz) and Coniah (Jehoiachin) foretell their removal from the throne, their exile to foreign lands, and their death there, never to return to Judah. This highlights the consequences of their actions and God's judgment.
  • Ignominious BurialJehoiakim is specifically condemned to an unmourned death and an ignoble burial, his body cast out like an ass beyond Jerusalem's gates. This symbolizes complete disgrace and rejection by God and man due to his wickedness.
  • Rejection of God's VoiceJudah is rebuked for its consistent refusal to hear and obey God's voice, a pattern evident from its youth. This disobedience leads to the destruction of its allies and its own shame and captivity.
  • End of Davidic Succession (for Coniah's line)Coniah (Jehoiachin) is declared to be 'childless' in terms of royal succession, meaning none of his direct descendants will prosper or sit upon the throne of David to rule in Judah, marking a significant break in the royal line.