The big picture
Jeremiah 22 opens in verse 1 with “Thus saith the LORD ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 15 with “Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and…”, and closes in verse 30 with “Thus saith the LORD , Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, Judah, hand, house, king. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 30Jeremiah 22:1-8
1–8: Thus saith the LORD ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and…
Jeremiah 22:1–8 opens with “Thus saith the LORD ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,” and reaches “And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 22 develops its own movement around LORD, Judah, hand, house, king, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Thus saith the LORD ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Thus saith the LORD ; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor…” Naming Execute keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD , that this house shall become a desolation.” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
Jeremiah 22:1-8
King James Version1Thus saith the LORD ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,
2And say, Hear the word of the LORD , O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:
3Thus saith the LORD ; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.
4For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.
5But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD , that this house shall become a desolation.
6For thus saith the LORD unto the king’s house of Judah; Thou art Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.
7And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.
8And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this great city?
Jeremiah 22:9-16
9–16: They shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD…
Jeremiah 22:9–16 opens with “Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and…” and reaches “He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 22 develops its own movement around LORD, Judah, hand, house, king, with particular weight carried by LORD, cedar, chambers.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 2 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and…” The promise, blessing, or covenant language needs its named recipient and scope. Those details prevent a personal word in the story from becoming a promise detached from context.
“For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 22:9-16
King James Version9Then they shall answer, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods, and served them.
10Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.
11For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:
12But he shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall see this land no more.
13Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
14That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
15Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
16He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD .
Jeremiah 22:17-24
17–24: Thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to…
Jeremiah 22:17–24 opens with “But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood…” and reaches “As I live, saith the LORD , though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 22 develops its own movement around LORD, Judah, hand, house, king, with particular weight carried by LORD, Jehoiakim, Judah.
Context that brings the passage to life
“But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression…” The line’s distinctive content terms include blood, covetousness, eyes. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.
“He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that…” The line’s distinctive content terms include hear, manner, obeyedst. Its relationship to verses 20 and 22 shows what work it does in this passage.
Jeremiah 22:17-24
King James Version17But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence, to do it.
18Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah lord! or, Ah his glory!
19He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
20Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.
21I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.
22The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
23O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a woman in travail!
24As I live, saith the LORD , though Coniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet would I pluck thee thence;
Jeremiah 22:25-30
25–30: I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the…
Jeremiah 22:25–30 opens with “And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose…” and reaches “Thus saith the LORD , Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 22 develops its own movement around LORD, Judah, hand, house, king, with particular weight carried by hand, earth, land.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even…” Naming Babylon and Chaldeans keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 22:25-30
King James Version25And I will give thee into the hand of them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.
26And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.
27But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall they not return.
28Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?
29O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD .
30Thus saith the LORD , Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 22:1 begins with “Thus saith the LORD ; Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 22:15 forms a natural hinge: “Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?”
The final note
Jeremiah 22:30 leaves the reader with “Thus saith the LORD , Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, Judah, hand, house, king, hear help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What does the reader know that Isaac is not told?
The opening identifies a test. That framing matters for the entire account.
What is actually offered?
A ram provided in place of Isaac. Preserve the difference between the threatened act and the outcome.
KJV words made clear
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.