11
For this is what the Lord says about Shallum 1 son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: "He will never return.
12
He will die in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again."
13
"Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,
his upper rooms by injustice,
making his own people work for nothing,
not paying them for their labor.
14
He says, 'I will build myself a great palace
with spacious upper rooms.'
So he makes large windows in it,
panels it with cedar
and decorates it in red.
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,
so all went well with him.
16
He defended the cause of the poor and needy,
and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know me?"
declares the Lord.
17
"But your eyes and your heart
are set only on dishonest gain,
on shedding innocent blood
and on oppression and extortion."
18
Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
"They will not mourn 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 of a donkey -
dragged away and thrown
outside the gates of Jerusalem."
20
"Go up to Lebanon and cry out,
let your voice be heard in Bashan,
cry out from Abarim,
for all your allies are crushed.
21
I warned you when you felt secure,
but you said, 'I will not listen!'
This has been your way from your youth;
you have not obeyed me.
22
The wind will drive all your shepherds away,
and your allies will go into exile.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced
because of all your wickedness.
23
You who live in 'Lebanon, 2 '
who are nestled in cedar buildings,
how you will groan when pangs come upon you,
pain like that of a woman in labor!
24
"As surely as I live," declares the Lord, "even if you, Jehoiachin 3 son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off.
25
I will deliver you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear - Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians. 4
26
I will hurl you and the mother who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die.
27
You will never come back to the land you long to return to."
28
Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot,
an object no one wants?
Why will he and his children be hurled out,
cast into a land they do not know?
29
O land, land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30
This is what the Lord says:
"Record this man as if childless,
a man who will not prosper in his lifetime,
for none of his offspring will prosper,
none will sit on the throne of David
or rule anymore in Judah."