Study Desk

For thus says the Lord in regard to ^[c](r)Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who became king in the place of Josiah his father, who went forth from this place, "He will never return there;

but in the place where they led him captive, there he will ^(s)die and not see this land again.

"Woe to him who builds his house ^(t)without righteousness And his ^[d]upper rooms without justice, Who uses his neighbor's services without pay And ^(u)does not give him his wages,

Who says, ‘I will ^(v)build myself a roomy house With spacious ^[e]upper rooms, And cut out its windows, ^[f]Paneling it with ^(w)cedar and painting it ^[g]bright red.'

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

"He pled the cause of the ^(z)afflicted and needy; Then it was well. ^(aa)Is not that what it means to know Me?" Declares the Lord .

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

Therefore thus says the Lord in regard to ^(ad)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, "They will not ^(ae)lament for him: ‘^(af)Alas, my brother!' or, ‘Alas, sister!' They will not lament for him: ‘Alas for the master!' or, ‘Alas for his splendor!'

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