A Message concerning Jehoiakim

13 Woe for the one who builds his palace
through unrighteousness,(A)
his upper rooms through injustice,
who makes his fellow man serve without pay
and will not give him his wages,(B)
14 who says, “I will build myself a massive palace,
with spacious upper rooms.”
He will cut windows[a] in it,
and it will be paneled with cedar
and painted with vermilion.
15 Are you a king because you excel in cedar?
Didn’t your father eat and drink
and administer justice and righteousness?(C)
Then it went well with him.
16 He took up the case of the poor and needy,
then it went well.
Is this not what it means to know Me?
This is the Lord’s declaration.
17 But you have eyes and a heart for nothing
except your own dishonest profit,
shedding innocent blood
and committing extortion and oppression.

18 Therefore, this is what the Lord says concerning Jehoiakim(D) son of Josiah, king of Judah:

They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, my brother!” or “Woe, my sister!”
They will not mourn for him, saying,
“Woe, lord! Woe, his majesty!”
19 He will be buried like a donkey,(E)
dragged off and thrown
outside the gates of Jerusalem.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 22:14 Lit My windows

13 “Woe(A) to him who builds(B) his palace by unrighteousness,
    his upper rooms by injustice,
making his own people work for nothing,
    not paying(C) them for their labor.
14 He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace(D)
    with spacious upper rooms.’
So he makes large windows in it,
    panels it with cedar(E)
    and decorates it in red.(F)

15 “Does it make you a king
    to have more and more cedar?
Did not your father have food and drink?
    He did what was right and just,(G)
    so all went well(H) with him.
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,(I)
    and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know(J) me?”
    declares the Lord.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
    are set only on dishonest gain,(K)
on shedding innocent blood(L)
    and on oppression and extortion.”(M)

18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

“They will not mourn(N) for him:
    ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’
They will not mourn for him:
    ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’
19 He will have the burial(O) of a donkey—
    dragged away and thrown(P)
    outside the gates of Jerusalem.”

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13 Woe 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;

14 That 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.

15 Shalt 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?

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

17 But 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.

18 Therefore 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!

19 He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

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Jeremiah Dictates a Scroll

36 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah,(A) king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Take a scroll,(B) and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the time I first spoke to you during Josiah’s reign until today. Perhaps when the house of Judah hears about all the disaster I am planning to bring on them, each one of them will turn from his evil way. Then I will forgive their wrongdoing(C) and their sin.”

So Jeremiah summoned Baruch(D) son of Neriah. At Jeremiah’s dictation,[a] Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah. Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, “I am restricted;(E) I cannot enter the temple of the Lord, so you must go and read from the scroll—which you wrote at my dictation[b]—the words of the Lord in the hearing of the people at the temple of the Lord on a day of fasting. You must also read them in the hearing of all the Judeans who are coming from their cities. Perhaps their petition will come before the Lord,(F) and each one will turn from his evil way, for the anger and fury that the Lord has pronounced against this people are great.” So Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet had commanded him. At the Lord’s temple he read the Lord’s words from the scroll.

Baruch Reads the Scroll

In the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month,(G) all the people of Jerusalem and all those coming in from Judah’s cities into Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord.(H) 10 Then at the Lord’s temple, in the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe,(I) in the upper courtyard at the opening of the New Gate(J) of the Lord’s temple, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read Jeremiah’s words from the scroll.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the scribe’s chamber in the king’s palace. All the officials were sitting there—Elishama the scribe, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor,(K) Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 Micaiah reported to them all the words he had heard when Baruch read from the scroll in the hearing of the people. 14 Then all the officials sent word to Baruch through Jehudi son of Nethaniah, son of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, saying, “Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll and went to them. 15 They said to him, “Sit down and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing.

16 When they had heard all the words, they turned to each other in fear and said to Baruch, “We must surely tell the king all these things.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us—how did you write all these words? At his dictation?”[c]

18 Baruch said to them, “At his dictation.[d] He recited all these words to me while I was writing on the scroll in ink.”

Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll

19 The officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah must hide yourselves and tell no one where you are.” 20 Then they came to the king at the courtyard, having deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and reported everything in the hearing of the king. 21 The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. Jehudi then read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who were standing by the king. 22 Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters(L) with a fire burning in front of him. 23 As soon as Jehudi would read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut the scroll[e] with a scribe’s knife and throw the columns into the blazing fire until the entire scroll was consumed by the fire in the brazier. 24 As they heard all these words, the king and all of his servants did not become terrified(M) or tear their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Then the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord had hidden them.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit From Jeremiah’s mouth
  2. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit wrote from my mouth
  3. Jeremiah 36:17 Lit From his mouth
  4. Jeremiah 36:18 Lit From his mouth
  5. Jeremiah 36:23 Lit columns, he would tear it

Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah’s Scroll

36 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Take a scroll(B) and write on it all the words(C) I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah(D) till now. Perhaps(E) when the people of Judah hear(F) about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn(G) from their wicked ways; then I will forgive(H) their wickedness and their sin.”

So Jeremiah called Baruch(I) son of Neriah,(J) and while Jeremiah dictated(K) all the words the Lord had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll.(L) Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting(M) and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated.(N) Read them to all the people of Judah(O) who come in from their towns. Perhaps they will bring their petition(P) before the Lord and will each turn(Q) from their wicked ways, for the anger(R) and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.”

Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the Lord’s temple he read the words of the Lord from the scroll. In the ninth month(S) of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting(T) before the Lord was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah. 10 From the room of Gemariah(U) son of Shaphan(V) the secretary,(W) which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate(X) of the temple, Baruch read to all the people at the Lord’s temple the words of Jeremiah from the scroll.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the secretary’s(Y) room in the royal palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan(Z) son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.(AA) 13 After Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read to the people from the scroll, 14 all the officials sent Jehudi(AB) son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Bring the scroll(AC) from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch son of Neriah went to them with the scroll in his hand. 15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.”

So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear(AD) and said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, how did you come to write(AE) all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?”

18 “Yes,” Baruch replied, “he dictated(AF) all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.”

19 Then the officials(AG) said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah, go and hide.(AH) Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

20 After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21 The king sent Jehudi(AI) to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king(AJ) and all the officials standing beside him. 22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment,(AK) with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll,(AL) the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.(AM) 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear,(AN) nor did they tear their clothes.(AO) 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah(AP) and Gemariah(AQ) urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest(AR) Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden(AS) them.

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36 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.

It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the Lord:

Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the Lord in the ears of the people in the Lord's house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

It may be they will present their supplication before the Lord, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the Lord hath pronounced against this people.

And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord's house.

And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the Lord to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the Lord's house, in the ears of all the people.

11 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the Lord,

12 Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

13 Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.

15 And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.

16 Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.

17 And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

18 Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

19 Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.

20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.

21 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.

23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

24 Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.

26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the Lord hid them.

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