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?”
9. And the answer will be: “Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshipped and served other gods.” ’
10. Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss;rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled,because he will never returnnor see his native land again.
11. For this is what the Lord says about Shallum 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 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 labour.
14. He says, “I will build myself a great palacewith spacious upper rooms.”So he makes large windows in it,panels it with cedarand decorates it in red.
15. ‘Does it make you a kingto 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.
16. He 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 heartare set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent bloodand on oppression and extortion.’
18. Therefore 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 splendour!”
19. He will have the burial of a donkey –dragged away and thrownoutside the gates of Jerusalem.’