1This is what Jehovah says: »Go to the palace of the king of Judah, and speak this message there: 2»‘Listen to the word of Jehovah, you officials, you people who come into these gates, and you, king of Judah, the one sitting on David's throne. 3This is what Jehovah says: »Judge fairly, and do what is right. Rescue those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, or widows, and do not oppress them. Do not kill innocent people in this place. 4»‘If you do what I say, then the kings who sit on David's throne will ride through the gates of this palace in chariots and on horses along with their officials and their people.« ’ 5»‘But if you do not do what I say, I will take an oath on myself,’ declares Jehovah, ‘this palace will become a pile of rubble.’ 6»Jehovah says concerning the house of the king of Judah: ‘You are like Gilead to me, like the summit of Lebanon. Most assuredly I will make you like a wilderness, like cities that are not inhabited. 7»I will set apart destroyers against you, each with his weapons. They will cut down your choicest cedars and throw them on the fire. 8»Many nations will pass by this city. They will say to one another: Why has Jehovah done thus to this great city? 9»They will answer: ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of Jehovah their God and bowed down to other gods and served them.« ’ 10»Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him. Weep continually for the one who goes away. For he will never return or see his native land. 11»‘This is what Jehovah says about King Josiah's son Shallum, who succeeded his father as king of Judah and left this place: ‘He will never come back here again. 12»‘He will die in the place where they led him captive. He will not see this land again.’ 13»Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness and his upper rooms without justice. Woe to him who uses his neighbor's services without pay and does not give him his wages. 14»‘Woe to him who says: ‘I will build myself a roomy house with spacious upper rooms, and cut out its windows. I will panel it with cedar and paint it bright red vermilion.’ 15Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. 16He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy. Then it was well. »Is that not what it means to know me?« Says Jehovah. 17»Your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain. You are shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion.« 18Therefore Jehovah tells us about Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: »They will not cry for him: ‘Alas, my brother!’ And, ‘Alas, sister!’ They will not mourn him: ‘Alas for the master!’ And, »Alas for his splendor!« 19He will be buried with a donkey's burial. He will be dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem. 20»Go up to Lebanon and cry out! Lift up your voice in Bashan. Cry out also from Abarim, for all your lovers have been crushed. 21I spoke to you in your prosperity. But you said: ‘I will not listen!’ This has been your practice from your youth, that you have not obeyed my voice. 22»The wind will sweep away all your shepherds. Your lovers will go into captivity. Then you will surely be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness. 23»You who dwell in Lebanon nested in the cedars. How you will groan when pangs come upon you, Pain like a woman in childbirth!« 24»‘As I live,’ says Jehovah, ‘even though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were a signet ring on my right hand, yet I would pull you off. 25»As I live,« says Jehovah, »I will hand you over to those who want to kill you, those you fear, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians. 26»I will throw you and your mother into another land. You were not born there, but you will die there. 27»You will want to return to this land, but you will not be allowed to come home. 28»This Jehoiakin is like a rejected and broken pot that no one wants. Is that why he and his descendants will be thrown out and cast into another land they have never heard of? 29»O land, land, land! Hear the word of Jehovah. 30»This is what Jehovah says: ‘Write this about Jehoiakin: »He will be childless. He will not prosper in his lifetime. None of his descendants will succeed him as king. They will not sit on David's throne and rule Judah again.« ’«