New Living Translation
Jeremiah 22:13
13And the Lord says, “What sorrow awaits Jehoiakim, who builds his palace with forced labor. He builds injustice into its walls, for he makes his neighbors work for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor.
Jeremiah 22:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Woe 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;
- New International Version (NIV)“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 labor.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing and does not give him his wages,
- New King James Version (NKJV)“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,
Context of Jeremiah 22:13
11For this is what the Lord says about Jehoahaz, who succeeded his father, King Josiah, and was taken away as a captive: “He will never return. 12He will die in a distant land and will never again see his own country.” And the Lord says, “What sorrow awaits Jehoiakim, who builds his palace with forced labor. He builds injustice into its walls, for he makes his neighbors work for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor. 14He says, ‘I will build a magnificent palace with huge rooms and many windows. I will panel it throughout with fragrant cedar and paint it a lovely red.’ 15But 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.
Read all of Jeremiah 22Jeremiah 22:13 word by word
ה֣וֹי בֹּנֶ֤ה בֵיתוֹ֙ בְּֽלֹא־צֶ֔דֶק וַעֲלִיּוֹתָ֖יו בְּלֹ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֑ט בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יַעֲבֹ֣ד חִנָּ֔ם וּפֹעֲל֖וֹ לֹ֥א יִתֶּן־לֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Woeהוֹיhôy · woe!H1945
- unto him that buildethבָּנָהbânâh · to buildH1129
- his houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- byלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- unrighteousnessצֶ֫דֶקtsedeq · righteousnessH6664
- and his chambersעֲלִיָּה‛ălîyâh · upper roomH5944
- by wrongמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- useth his neighbour’sרֵעַrêa‛ rêya‛ · neighborH7453
- serviceעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
- without wagesחִנָּםchinnâm · for nothingH2600
- and givethנָתַןnâthan · to give: payH5414
- him not for his workפֹּ֫עַלpô‛al · workH6467
Cross-references for Jeremiah 22:13
- Jeremiah 22:18Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah: “The people will not mourn for him, crying to one another, ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ His subjects will not mourn for him, crying, ‘Alas, our master is dead! Alas, his splendor is gone!’
- 2 Kings 23:35In order to get the silver and gold demanded as tribute by Pharaoh Neco, Jehoiakim collected a tax from the people of Judah, requiring them to pay in proportion to their wealth.
- 2 Chronicles 36:4The king of Egypt then installed Eliakim, the brother of Jehoahaz, as the next king of Judah and Jerusalem, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. Then Neco took Jehoahaz to Egypt as a prisoner.
- Leviticus 19:13“Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. “Do not make your hired workers wait until the next day to receive their pay.
- Deuteronomy 24:14“Never take advantage of poor and destitute laborers, whether they are fellow Israelites or foreigners living in your towns.
- Job 24:10The poor must go about naked, without any clothing. They harvest food for others while they themselves are starving.
- Micah 3:10You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption.
- Habakkuk 2:9“What sorrow awaits you who build big houses with money gained dishonestly! You believe your wealth will buy security, putting your family’s nest beyond the reach of danger.
- Malachi 3:5“At that time I will put you on trial. I am eager to witness against all sorcerers and adulterers and liars. I will speak against those who cheat employees of their wages, who oppress widows and orphans, or who deprive the foreigners living among you of justice, for these people do not fear me,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
- James 5:4For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 22:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Wo unto him that buildeth his house - These evils, charged against Jehoiakim, are nowhere else circumstantially related. We learn from 2 Kings 23:35-37, that he taxed his subjects heavily, to give to Pharaoh-necho, king of Egypt: "He exacted the silver and gold of the people of the land, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord." The mode of taxation is here intimated; he took the wages of the hirelings, and caused the people to work without…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Far worse is the second example. Shallum was no heartless tyrant like Jehoiakim, who lived in splendor amid the misery of the nation, and perished so little cared for that his body was cast aside without burial. His chambers - Really, his upper chambers. From the absence of machinery the raising of materials for the upper stories was a difficult task, especially when massive stones were used. His work - Giveth him not his wages.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. 13Jehoiakim made poor men work as unpaid slaves, so his building projects were unjust from the start.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1313. Not only did Jehoiakim tax the people (2Ki 23:35) for Pharaoh's tribute, but also took their forced labor, without pay, for building a splendid palace; in violation of Le 19:13; De 24:14, 15. Compare Mi 3:10; Ha 2:9; Jas 5:4. God will repay in justice those who will not in justice pay those whom they employ.Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 22:13
In the dictionaries
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
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