Jeremiah, Sarah Barry
WHAT IT MEANS TO KNOW THE LORD
Passage: Jeremiah 22:10~23  
Key verse: 16
10 Do not weep for the dead(A) king or mourn(B) his loss;
rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled,
because he will never return(C)
nor see his native land again.
11 For this is what the Lord says about Shallum[a](D) 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(E) in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again.”
13 “Woe(F) to him who builds(G) his palace by unrighteousness,
his upper rooms by injustice,
making his own people work for nothing,
not paying(H) them for their labor.
14 He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace(I)
with spacious upper rooms.’
So he makes large windows in it,
panels it with cedar(J)
and decorates it in red.(K)
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,(L)
so all went well(M) with him.
16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy,(N)
and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know(O) me?”
declares the Lord.
17 “But your eyes and your heart
are set only on dishonest gain,(P)
on shedding innocent blood(Q)
and on oppression and extortion.”(R)
18 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
“They will not mourn(S) 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(T) of a donkey—
dragged away and thrown(U)
outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
20 “Go up to Lebanon and cry out,(V)
let your voice be heard in Bashan,(W)
cry out from Abarim,(X)
for all your allies(Y) are crushed.
21 I warned you when you felt secure,(Z)
but you said, ‘I will not listen!’
This has been your way from your youth;(AA)
you have not obeyed(AB) me.
22 The wind(AC) will drive all your shepherds(AD) away,
and your allies(AE) will go into exile.
Then you will be ashamed and disgraced(AF)
because of all your wickedness.
23 You who live in ‘Lebanon,[b](AG)’
who are nestled in cedar buildings,
how you will groan when pangs come upon you,
pain(AH) like that of a woman in labor!
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 22:11 Also called Jehoahaz
- Jeremiah 22:23 That is, the palace in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 7:2)
Cross references
- Jeremiah 22:10 : S Ecc 4:2
- Jeremiah 22:10 : ver 18; Eze 24:16
- Jeremiah 22:10 : ver 27; Jer 24:9; 29:18; 42:18
- Jeremiah 22:11 : S 2Ki 23:31
- Jeremiah 22:12 : 2Ki 23:34
- Jeremiah 22:13 : S Isa 5:8
- Jeremiah 22:13 : Mic 3:10; Hab 2:9
- Jeremiah 22:13 : S Lev 19:13; Jas 5:4
- Jeremiah 22:14 : Isa 5:8-9
- Jeremiah 22:14 : S 2Sa 7:2
- Jeremiah 22:14 : Eze 23:14
- Jeremiah 22:15 : 2Ki 23:25
- Jeremiah 22:15 : Ps 128:2; S Isa 3:10
- Jeremiah 22:16 : Ps 72:1-4, 12-13; S 82:3; S Pr 24:23
- Jeremiah 22:16 : S Ps 36:10
- Jeremiah 22:17 : S Isa 56:11
- Jeremiah 22:17 : S 2Ki 24:4
- Jeremiah 22:17 : S Dt 28:33; Eze 18:12; Mic 2:2
- Jeremiah 22:18 : S 2Sa 1:26
- Jeremiah 22:19 : 2Ki 24:6
- Jeremiah 22:19 : Jer 8:2; 36:30
- Jeremiah 22:20 : S Isa 57:13
- Jeremiah 22:20 : S Ps 68:15
- Jeremiah 22:20 : S Nu 27:12
- Jeremiah 22:20 : ver 22; Jer 30:14; La 1:19; Eze 16:33-34; Hos 8:9
- Jeremiah 22:21 : Zec 7:7
- Jeremiah 22:21 : Dt 9:7; Ps 25:7; Isa 54:4; Jer 3:25; 31:19; 32:30
- Jeremiah 22:21 : S Jer 3:13; 7:23-28; Zep 3:2
- Jeremiah 22:22 : S Dt 28:64; S Job 27:21
- Jeremiah 22:22 : S Jer 10:21
- Jeremiah 22:22 : S ver 20
- Jeremiah 22:22 : S Jer 7:19
- Jeremiah 22:23 : S 1Ki 7:2; Eze 17:3
- Jeremiah 22:23 : S Jer 4:31
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source:  BibleGateway
King Zedekiah had ample warning. He had the examples of his predecessors. He had been warned by Jeremiah to “do what is right.” He was to turn away from unrighteousness and injustice. He was to do what was right and just—to defend the cause of the poor and needy, just as King David had done. We learn that is what it means to know God. Instead, Zedekiah was only set on dishonest gain, bloodshed, oppression and extortion.
Prayer: Father, it is so easy to chase after the things in this life. May I not forget about you, and may I do what is just and right, defending the cause of the poor and needy. In this, may I come to know you.
One Word: Do what is just and right; come to know God