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For so says Jehovah concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned in his father Josiah's place, who went forth from this place: he shall not return there any more.

Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness, and his upper rooms without justice. His neighbor serves without pay, and he does not give him for his work;

who says, I will build myself a wide house and large upper rooms. And he cuts out windows for it and covers with cedar, and paints with vermilion.

Do you reign because you lust to excel in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well for him.

But your eyes and your heart lust for nothing but your unjust gain, and to shed innocent blood, and oppression, and to do violence.

So Jehovah says this concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, They shall not mourn for him, saying , Ah, my brother! Or, Ah, sister! They shall not mourn for him, saying , Ah, lord! Or, Ah, his glory!

Go up to Lebanon and cry. And lift up your voice in Bashan, and cry out from Abarim; for all those loving you are destroyed.

I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, I will not hear. This has been your way from your youth, for you have not obeyed My voice.

Those feeding you shall feed the wind, and those loving you shall go into captivity. Surely then you will be ashamed and will blush for all your wickedness.

So says Jehovah, Write this man childless, a man who will not prosper in his days. For not one from his seed will succeed, a man sitting on the throne of David and ruling any more in Judah.

For the land is full of adulterers. For the land mourns because of a curse. The pastures of the wilderness are dried up. And their course is evil, and their might is not right.

For both prophet and priest are ungodly; yea, I have found their evil in My house, says Jehovah.

So their way shall be to them as slippery places in the darkness; they shall be driven out and fall by it. For I will bring evil on them, the year of their judgment, says Jehovah.

So Jehovah of Hosts says this concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them wormwood, and make them drink poisonous water, for ungodliness has gone forth from the prophets of Jerusalem into all the land.

For who has stood in the counsel of Jehovah, and has seen and heard His Word? Who has listened to His Word and heard?

They plot to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell, each one to his neighbor, even as their fathers have forgotten My name for Baal.

And you shall not mention the burden of Jehovah again, for each man's word shall be his burden. But you have perverted the Words of the living God, of Jehovah of Hosts, our God.

So says Jehovah, the God of Israel, Like these good figs, so I will acknowledge the exiles of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for good.

For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land. And I will build them and not tear down; and I will plant them, and will not pluck up.

And I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Jehovah. And they shall be My people, and I will be their God. For they shall return to Me with their whole heart.