Judgment Against Wicked Kings
1This is what the Lord says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there: 2‘Hear the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates. 3This is what the Lord says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. 4For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. 5But if you do not obey these commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’ ”
6For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah:
“Though you are like Gilead to me,
like the summit of Lebanon,
I will surely make you like a wasteland,
like towns not inhabited.
7I will send destroyers against you,
each man with his weapons,
and they will cut up your fine cedar beams
and throw them into the fire.
8“People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’ 9And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’ ”
10Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss;
rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled,
because he will never return
nor see his native land again.
11For this is what the Lord says about Shallum22:11 Also called Jehoahaz son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: “He will never return. 12He 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.
14He 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.
16He 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.”
18Therefore 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!’
19He 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.
21I 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.
22The 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.
23You who live in ‘Lebanon,22:23 That is, the palace in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 7:2)’
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, Jehoiachin22:24 Hebrew Koniah, a variant of Jehoiachin; also in verse 28 son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring on my right hand, I would still pull you off. 25I will deliver you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.22:25 Or Chaldeans 26I 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. 27You will never come back to the land you long to return to.”
28Is 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?
29O land, land, land,
hear the word of the Lord!
30This 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.”
Athamaki arĩa Aaganu Gũtuĩrwo Ciira
1Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Ikũrũka ũthiĩ nginya nyũmba ya ũthamaki ya mũthamaki wa Juda22:1 Nyũmba ya mũthamaki yarĩ mũhuro wa hekarũ (26:10-12). ũhunjie ndũmĩrĩri ĩno kuo, uuge atĩrĩ: 222:2 Amos 7:16; Luk 1:32‘Ta thikĩrĩria ndũmĩrĩri ya Jehova, wee mũthamaki wa Juda, o wee ũikarĩire gĩtĩ kĩa ũthamaki kĩa Daudi: wee mwene, na anene aku, o na andũ anyu arĩa matoonyagĩra ihingo-inĩ ici. 322:3 Hos 12:6; Jer 21:12Ũũ nĩguo Jehova ekuuga: Ĩkagai maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire na ma kĩhooto. Honokagiai mũndũ ũrĩa ũtunyĩtwo indo ciake kuuma guoko-inĩ kwa mũmũhinyĩrĩria. Mũtikaneeke ũndũ mũũru kana maũndũ ma kũhũthĩra hinya harĩ mũndũ wa kũngĩ, kana harĩ mwana wa ngoriai kana mũtumia wa ndigwa, na ningĩ kũndũ gũkũ mũtikanaitithie thakame ya mũndũ ũtekĩte ũũru. 4Nĩgũkorwo mũngĩmenyerera mwathĩkĩre mawatho maya, hĩndĩ ĩyo athamaki arĩa maikarĩire gĩtĩ kĩa Daudi gĩa ũthamaki nĩmarĩtoonyagĩra ihingo-inĩ cia nyũmba ya ũthamaki, mahaicĩte ngaari cia ita na mbarathi, marĩ hamwe na anene ao, o na andũ ao. 522:5 Ahib 6:13No mũngĩkaaga gwathĩkĩra mawatho maya, Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, Ndehĩta na Rĩĩtwa rĩakwa mwene atĩ nyũmba ĩno ya ũthamaki nĩĩkanangwo.’ ”
622:6 Kĩam 31:21; Mik 3:12Nĩ ũndũ Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ ũhoro ũkoniĩ nyũmba ya ũthamaki ya mũthamaki wa Juda:
“O na gũtuĩka ũhaana ta Gileadi harĩ niĩ,
ũkahaana ta gacũmbĩrĩ ka Lebanoni,
ti-itherũ nĩngatũma ũtuĩke ta werũ ũtarĩ kĩndũ,
ũtuĩke ta matũũra matatũũragwo.
722:7 Isa 10:34; Zek 11:1Nĩngagũtũmĩra andũ magũũkĩrĩre, makwanange,
o ũmwe wao eyohete indo ciake cia mbaara,
na nĩmagatemanga mĩtarakwa yaku ĩrĩa mĩega mũno,
mamĩikie mwaki-inĩ.
822:8 Gũcook 29:25-26; 1Ath 9:8-9“Andũ a ndũrĩrĩ nyingĩ nĩmakahĩtũkĩra itũũra-inĩ rĩĩrĩ inene na nĩmakooranagia atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte Jehova eke itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene maũndũ ta maya?’ 9Nao nĩmagacookerio atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ tondũ nĩmatirikire ũhoro wa kũrũmĩrĩra kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa Jehova Ngai wao, makĩhooya na magĩtungatĩra ngai ingĩ.’ ”
10Mũtikarĩrĩre mũthamaki ũcio ũkuĩte, kana mũcakae nĩ ũndũ wa kũũrwo nĩwe;
no rĩrĩ, rĩrai na mũgirĩke nĩ ũndũ wa ũcio ũthaamĩtio,
nĩ tondũ, ũcio ndagacooka kwao,
kana oone bũrũri ũrĩa aaciarĩirwo rĩngĩ.
1122:11 2Ath 23:31Nĩ ũndũ Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ ũhoro ũkoniĩ Shalumu22:11 Shalumu nĩ rĩĩtwa rĩngĩ rĩa Jehoahazu. mũrũ wa Josia, ũrĩa wacookire ithenya rĩa ithe Josia, mũthamaki wa Juda, no nĩacookire akiuma kũndũ gũkũ: “Ndarĩ hĩndĩ agaacooka gũkũ gũthamaka. 12Agaakuĩra kũu aatwarirwo arĩ mũgwate; ndakoona bũrũri ũyũ rĩngĩ.”
1322:13 Mik 3:10; Hab 2:9; Jak 5:4“Kaĩ ũrĩa wakaga nyũmba yake ya ũthamaki na njĩra itarĩ cia ũthingu arĩ na haaro-ĩ!
o ũcio wakaga tũnyũmba twake twa ngoroba na maũndũ matarĩ ma kĩhooto,
na akarutithia andũ a bũrũri wake wĩra ũtarĩ mũcaara,
akaaga kũmarĩha kĩrĩa maagĩrĩirwo nĩ kũheo nĩ ũndũ wa wĩra ũcio wao.
1422:14 Isa 5:8-9; Ezek 23:14Oigaga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩngwĩyakĩra nyũmba nene ya ũthamaki,
ĩrĩ na tũnyũmba twa ngoroba.’
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio amĩakaga ĩrĩ na ndirica nene,
na akamĩhũũrĩrĩra mbaũ cia mũtarakwa,
o na akamĩgemia na rangi mũtune.
1522:15 Isa 3:10“Kũgĩa na mbaũ nyingĩ mũno cia mĩtarakwa-rĩ,
no gũtũme ũtuĩke mũthamaki?
Githĩ thoguo ndaarĩ o na gĩa kũrĩa na gĩa kũnyua?
Ekaga maũndũ marĩa maagĩrĩire na ma kĩhooto,
nĩ ũndũ ũcio maũndũ make mothe makĩgaacĩra.
1622:16 Thab 72:1-4, 12-13Aaciiragĩrĩra andũ arĩa athĩĩni na arĩa abatari,
na nĩ ũndũ ũcio maũndũ make mothe makĩgaacĩra.
Githĩ ũguo tiguo kũmenyana na niĩ?”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
1722:17 Isa 56:11; Mik 2:2“No rĩrĩ, maitho maku na ngoro yaku
irorereirio o uumithio ũtarĩ wa kwĩhokeka,
cikeerekera gũitithia thakame ya andũ matarĩ ũũru mekĩte,
o na kũhinyanĩrĩria, na gwĩtia indo na hinya.”
18Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ ũhoro ũkoniĩ Jehoiakimu mũrũ wa Josia, mũthamaki wa Juda:
“Andũ matikamũrĩrĩra makiugaga atĩrĩ:
‘Wũi-ĩiya, mũrũ-wa-Ithe-witũ-ĩ! Wũi-ĩiya mwarĩ-wa-ithe-witũ-ĩ!’
Ningĩ matikamũrĩrĩra makiugaga:
‘Wũi-ĩiya mwathi-witũ-ĩ! Wũi-ĩiya riiri-wake-ĩ!’
1922:19 2Ath 24:6; Jer 36:30Agaathikwo o ta ũrĩa ndigiri ĩthikagwo:
agaakururio, aikio na kũu nja ya ihingo cia Jerusalemu.”
20“Ambata, ũthiĩ Lebanoni, ũkanĩrĩre kuo,
ũreke mũgambo waku ũiguĩke kũu Bashani,
na ũkayũrũrũke kuuma Abarimu,
nĩgũkorwo athiritũ aku othe nĩahehenje.
2122:21 Jer 3:25; Zef 3:2Nĩndagũkaanirie rĩrĩa weiguaga ũrĩ mũgitĩre,
nowe ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ndigũthikĩrĩria!’
Ũyũ ũkoretwo ũrĩ mũthiĩre waku kuuma ũrĩ o mũnini;
wee ndũrĩ wanjathĩkĩra.
22Arĩithi aku othe makaahurutwo nĩ rũhuho,
nao athiritũ aku nĩmagathaamĩrio kũngĩ.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩũgaconoka na ũnyararithio
nĩ ũndũ wa waganu waku wothe.
2322:23 1Ath 7:2; Jer 4:31Inyuĩ mũtũũraga Lebanoni,
o inyuĩ mũikaraga nyũmba cia mĩtarakwa,
kaĩ nĩmũgacakaya rĩrĩa mũkanyiitwo nĩ ruo,
o ruo ta rwa mũndũ-wa-nja akĩrũmwo-ĩ!”
2422:24 2Ath 24:6, 8; Kĩam 38:18Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “O ta ũrĩa niĩ ndũũraga muoyo-rĩ, wee Jekonia, mũrũ wa Jehoiakimu mũthamaki wa Juda, o na ũngĩrĩ gĩcũhĩ kĩa mũhũũri kĩrĩ guoko-inĩ gwakwa kwa ũrĩo-rĩ, no gũkũruta ingĩkũruta ho. 25Ngũkũneana kũrĩ arĩa magũcaragia makũrute muoyo, o acio wĩtigagĩra, ngũneane kũrĩ Nebukadinezaru, mũthamaki wa Babuloni na kũrĩ andũ a Babuloni. 2622:26 2Ath 24:8; 2Maũ 36:10Wee hamwe na maitũguo ũrĩa wagũciarire, ngamũnyuguta bũrũri ũngĩ kũrĩa mũtaciarĩirwo, na kũu nĩkuo inyuĩ eerĩ mũgakuĩra. 27Mũtirĩ hĩndĩ mũgaacooka gũkũ bũrũri ũyũ mwĩriragĩria gũgaacooka.”
2822:28 Thab 31:12; Jer 17:4Hĩ anga mũndũ ũcio wĩtagwo Jekonia, nĩ nyũngũ nguũ na nyarare,
na kĩndũ gĩtarĩ mũndũ ũngĩkĩenda?
Nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma we hamwe na ciana ciake manyugutwo,
na maikio bũrũri matooĩ?
2922:29 Jer 6:19Atĩrĩrĩ, wee bũrũri, bũrũri, bũrũri ũyũ,
ta thikĩrĩria ndũmĩrĩri ya Jehova!
3022:30 1Maũ 3:18; Math 1:12Ũũ nĩguo Jehova ekuuga:
“Mũndũ ũyũ nĩandĩkwo maandĩko-inĩ, ta mũndũ ũtarĩ mwana,
mũndũ ũtakagaacĩra mũtũũrĩre-inĩ wake wothe,
nĩgũkorwo gũtirĩ mwana wake ũkaagaacĩra,
gũtirĩ ũgaikarĩra gĩtĩ gĩa ũthamaki kĩa Daudi
kana athamake rĩngĩ thĩinĩ wa Juda.”
