Jeremiah 22:15

Jeremiah 22:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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?
• New International Version (NIV)“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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But a beautiful cedar palace does not make a great king! Your father, Josiah, also had plenty to eat and drink. But he was just and right in all his dealings. That is why God blessed him.

Context of Jeremiah 22:15

13“Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness And his chambers by injustice, Who uses his neighbor’s service without wages And gives him nothing for his work, 14Who says, ‘I will build myself a wide house with spacious chambers, And cut out windows for it, Paneling it with cedar And painting it with vermilion.’ “Shall you reign because you enclose yourself in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink, And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. 16He judged the cause of the poor and needy; Then it was well. Was not this knowing Me?” says the Lord. 17“Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, For shedding innocent blood, And practicing oppression and violence.”

Jeremiah 22:15 word by word

הֲתִֽמְלֹ֔ךְ כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה מְתַחֲרֶ֣ה בָאָ֑רֶז אָבִ֜יךָ הֲל֧וֹא אָכַ֣ל וְשָׁתָ֗ה וְעָשָׂ֤ה מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה אָ֖ז ט֥וֹב לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Shalt thou reignמָלַךְmâlak · to reignH4427
• because thou closestתַּחָרָהtachârâh · to contendH8474
• in cedarאֶ֫רֶז'erez · cedarH730
• did not thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• and doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
• and justiceצְדָקָהtsedâqâh · righteousnessH6666
• wellטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896

Cross-references for Jeremiah 22:15

• Jeremiah 22:18Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: “They shall not lament for him, Saying, ‘Alas, my brother!’ or ‘Alas, my sister!’ They shall not lament for him, Saying, ‘Alas, master!’ or ‘Alas, his glory!’
• 2 Kings 23:25Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.
• 1 Chronicles 3:15The sons of Josiah were Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, and the fourth Shallum.
• 1 Kings 4:20Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.
• 2 Chronicles 35:7Then Josiah gave the lay people lambs and young goats from the flock, all for Passover offerings for all who were present, to the number of thirty thousand, as well as three thousand cattle; these were from the king’s possessions.
• Ecclesiastes 2:24Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
• Ecclesiastes 9:7Go, eat your bread with joy, And drink your wine with a merry heart; For God has already accepted your works.
• Ecclesiastes 10:17Blessed are you, O land, when your king is the son of nobles, And your princes feast at the proper time— For strength and not for drunkenness!
• Isaiah 33:16He will dwell on high; His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks; Bread will be given him, His water will be sure.
• Luke 11:41But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.
• Acts 2:46So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
• 1 Corinthians 10:31Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
• Jeremiah 22:3Thus says the Lord: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.
• Jeremiah 21:12O house of David! Thus says the Lord: “Execute judgment in the morning; And deliver him who is plundered Out of the hand of the oppressor, Lest My fury go forth like fire And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.
• Jeremiah 23:5“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
• 2 Samuel 8:15So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgment and justice to all his people.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 22:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Shalt thou reign, etc - Dost thou think thou art a great king, because thou dwellest in a splendid palace?Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15i. e., Will thy buildings make thy reign continue? These words imply that Jehoiakim was looking forward to, and taking measures to secure, a long continuance of power (compare Habakkuk 2:9-13. If so, Jeremiah probably wrote this prophecy before Jehoiakim revolted 2 Kings 24:1; and it, therefore, probably belongs to the same date as Jeremiah 36:30, written in the interval between Nebuchadnezzars first conquest of Jerusalem, and Jehoiakim‘s rebellion, and…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-19Verses 10-19 Here is a sentence of death upon two kings, the wicked sons of a very pious father. Josiah was prevented from seeing the evil to come in this world, and removed to see the good to come in the other world; therefore, weep not for him, but for his son Shallum, who is likely to live and die a wretched captive. Dying saints may be justly envied, while living sinners are justly pitied. Here also is the doom of Jehoiakim. No doubt it is lawful for…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15-16If Jehoiakim wanted plenty to eat and drink, he did not need to use corruption and oppression. Compared to his prosperous father, Josiah, Jehoiakim was not a great king. Josiah, on the other hand, was fair and honest in all his actions, serving both God and his people. Because he followed the ancient covenant's rules, God blessed him.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. closest thyself--rather, "thou viest," that is, art emulous to surpass thy forefathers in the magnificence of thy palaces. eat and drink--Did not Josiah, thy father, enjoy all that man really needs for his bodily wants? Did he need to build costly palaces to secure his throne? Nay, he did secure it by "judgment and justice"; whereas thou, with all thy luxurious building, sittest on a tottering throne. then--on that account, therefore.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 22:15

• Blessing
• Jehoiakim
• Rich, the
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Amos (1)
• Captivity
• Close
• Genesis
• Jehoiakim
• Justice
• Uriah; Uruah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 22

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings