7
I will prepare destroyers against you, Everyone with his weapons; They shall cut down your choice cedars And cast them into the fire.
8
And many nations will pass by this city; and everyone will say to his neighbor, 'Why has the Lord done so to this great city?'
9
Then they will answer, 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God, and worshiped other gods and served them.' "
10
Weep not for the dead, nor bemoan him; Weep bitterly for him who goes away, For he shall return no more, Nor see his native country.
11
For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, who went from this place: "He shall not return here anymore,
12
but he shall die in the place where they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.
13
"Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness And his chambers by injustice, Who uses his neighbor's service without wages And gives him nothing for his work,
14
Who says, 'I will build myself a wide house with spacious chambers, And cut out windows for it, Paneling it with cedar And painting it with vermilion.'
15
"Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.
16
He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?" says the Lord.
17
"Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence."