Study Desk

For this is what the LORD says regarding ^(F1)(C1)Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in the place of his father Josiah, who went out from this place: "He will never return there;

but in the place where they took him into exile, there he will ^(C1)die and he will not see this land again.

"Woe to him who builds his house ^(C1)without righteousness, And his upstairs rooms without justice, Who uses his neighbor's services without pay And ^(C2)does not give him his wages,

Who says, 'I will ^(C1)build myself a large house With spacious upstairs rooms, And cut out its windows, ^(F1)Paneling it with ^(C2)cedar and painting it ^(F2)bright red.'

-"Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did your father not eat and drink And ^(C1)do justice and righteousness? Then it was ^(C2)well for him.

-"He pled the cause of the ^(C1)afflicted and the poor, Then it was well. ^(C2)Is that not what it means to know Me?" Declares the LORD.

"But your eyes and your heart Are intent only upon your own ^(C1)dishonest gain, And on ^(C2)shedding innocent blood, And on practicing oppression and extortion."

Therefore this is what the LORD says regarding ^(C1)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: "They will not ^(C2)mourn for him: '^(C3)Oh, my brother!' or, 'Oh, sister!' They will not mourn for him: 'Oh, for the master!' or, 'Oh, for his splendor!'

-"He will be ^(C1)buried with a donkey's burial, Dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.