New Living Translation
Jeremiah 22:15
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.
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 King James Version (NKJV)“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.
Context of Jeremiah 22:15
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. 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.’ 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. 16He gave justice and help to the poor and needy, and everything went well for him. Isn’t that what it means to know me?” says the Lord. 17“But you! You have eyes only for greed and dishonesty! You murder the innocent, oppress the poor, and reign ruthlessly.”
Read all of Jeremiah 22Jeremiah 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, 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 23:25Never before had there been a king like Josiah, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and soul and strength, obeying all the laws of Moses. And there has never been a king like him since.
- 1 Chronicles 3:15The sons of Josiah were Johanan (the oldest), Jehoiakim (the second), Zedekiah (the third), and Jehoahaz (the fourth).
- 1 Kings 4:20The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They were very contented, with plenty to eat and drink.
- 2 Chronicles 35:7Then Josiah provided 30,000 lambs and young goats for the people’s Passover offerings, along with 3,000 cattle, all from the king’s own flocks and herds.
- Ecclesiastes 2:24So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God.
- Ecclesiastes 9:7So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!
- Ecclesiastes 10:17Happy is the land whose king is a noble leader and whose leaders feast at the proper time to gain strength for their work, not to get drunk.
- Isaiah 33:16these are the ones who will dwell on high. The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress. Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance.
- Luke 11:41So clean the inside by giving gifts to the poor, and you will be clean all over.
- Acts 2:46They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—
- 1 Corinthians 10:31So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
- Jeremiah 22:3This is what the Lord says: Be fair-minded and just. Do what is right! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Quit your evil deeds! Do not mistreat foreigners, orphans, and widows. Stop murdering the innocent!
- Jeremiah 21:12This is what the Lord says to the dynasty of David: “‘Give justice each morning to the people you judge! Help those who have been robbed; rescue them from their oppressors. Otherwise, my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.
- Jeremiah 23:5“For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
- 2 Samuel 8:15So David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for 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
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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