16. He stood up for those who were poor or needy. So everything went well with him. That is what it means to know me," announces the Lord.
17. "Jehoiakim, the only thing on your mind is to get rich by cheating others. You would even kill people who are not guilty of doing anything wrong. You would mistreat them. You would take everything they own."
18. So the Lord speaks about King Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah. He says, "His people will not sob over him. They will not say, 'My poor brother! My poor sister!' They will not sob over him. They will not say, 'My poor master! How sad that his glory is gone!'
19. In fact, he will be buried like a donkey. His body will be dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem."
20. The Lord says, "People of Jerusalem, go up to Lebanon. Cry out for help. Let your voice be heard in the land of Bashan. Cry out from the mountains of Abarim. All those who were going to help you are crushed.
21. When you felt secure, I warned you. But you said, 'I won't listen!' You have acted like that ever since you were young. You have not obeyed me.
22. The wind will drive all of your shepherds away. All those who were going to help you will be carried off as prisoners. Then you will be dishonored and put to shame. That will happen because you have been so sinful.
23. Some of you live in Jerusalem in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. You are comfortable in your cedar buildings. But you will groan when pain comes on you. It will be like the pain of a woman having a baby.
24. "King Jehoiachin, you are the son of Jehoiakim," announces the Lord. "Suppose you were a ring on my right hand. And suppose the ring even had my royal seal on it. Then I would still pull you off my finger. And that is just as sure as I am alive.
25. "I will hand you over to those who are trying to kill you. I will turn you over to people you are afraid of. I will give you to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia. I will hand you over to his armies.
26. "I will throw you out into another country. I will throw your mother out. Neither of you was born in that country. But both of you will die there.
27. You will never come back to the land you long to return to."
28. This man Jehoiachin is like a broken pot. Everyone hates him. No one wants him. Why will he and his children be thrown out of this land? Why will they be sent to a land they didn't have anything to do with before?