1-3. God’s orders: “Go to the royal palace and deliver this Message. Say, ‘Listen to what God says, O King of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you and your officials and all the people who go in and out of these palace gates. This is God’s Message: Attend to matters of justice. Set things right between people. Rescue victims from their exploiters. Don’t take advantage of the homeless, the orphans, the widows. Stop the murdering!
10. Don’t weep over dead King Josiah.Don’t waste your tears.Weep for his exiled son:He’s gone for good.He’ll never see home again.
11-12. For this is God’s Word on Shallum son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah: “He’s gone from here, gone for good. He’ll die in the place they’ve taken him to. He’ll never see home again.”
13-17. “Doom to him who builds palaces but bullies people,who makes a fine house but destroys lives,Who cheats his workersand won’t pay them for their work,Who says, ‘I’ll build me an elaborate mansionwith spacious rooms and fancy windows.I’ll bring in rare and expensive woodsand the latest in interior decor.’So, that makes you a king—living in a fancy palace?Your father got along just fine, didn’t he?He did what was right and treated people fairly,And things went well with him.He stuck up for the down-and-out,And things went well for Judah.Isn’t this what it means to know me?”God’s Decree!“But you’re blind and brainless.All you think about is yourself,Taking advantage of the weak,bulldozing your way, bullying victims.”