Jeremiah 22:16-18

Easy-to-Read Version

¹⁶Josiah helped poor and needy people,
    so everything went well for him.
Jehoiakim, what does it mean “to know God”?
    It means living right and being fair.
That is what it means to know me.
    This message is from the Lord.

¹⁷“Jehoiakim, your eyes look only for what benefits yourself.
You are always thinking about getting more for yourself.
You are willing to kill innocent people.
You are willing to steal things from other people.”

¹⁸So this is what the Lord says to King Jehoiakim son of Josiah:
“The people of Judah will not cry for Jehoiakim.
    They will not say to each other, ‘Brother, I am so sad!
    Sister, I am so sad!’
They will not cry for Jehoiakim.
    They will not say about him, ‘Master, I am so sad!
    King, I am so sad!’