22:1 The Lord told me, “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there.
Jehovah told Jeremiah to go to the king’s palace and give a message to King Jehoiakim. King Jehoiakim lived two generations before King Zedekiah (of chapter 21). Therefore, this chapter preceded chapter 21 chronologically. Many of the biblical authors did not choose to organize their prophecies in chronological order.
22:2 Say: ‘Listen, O king of Judah who follows in David’s succession. You, your officials, and your subjects who pass through the gates of this palace must listen to what the Lord says.
Jeremiah had an important message from Jehovah for King Jehoiakim, his officials, and his subjects. All of these leaders pass through the royal gates of the king's palace.
22:3 The Lord says, “Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows. Do not kill innocent people in this land.
Widows and orphans were protected by the Mosaic law. However, the greedy business owners of Judah were exploiting them. The Davidic kings were supposed to enforce the Mosaic Law in order to protect widows and orphans, but King Jehoiakim refused to do so. King Jehoiakim was also using his authority to kill innocent men.
22:4 If you are careful to obey these commands, then the kings who follow in David’s succession and ride in chariots or on horses will continue to come through the gates of this palace, as will their officials and their subjects.
If King Jehoiakim keeps the Mosaic law, then he would be able to continue riding through the royal gates as the King of Judah.
22:5 But, if you do not obey these commands, I solemnly swear that this palace will become a pile of rubble. I, the Lord, affirm it!”
If King Jehoiakim does not keep the Mosaic Law, then his palace would be reduced to rubble.
22:6 “ ‘For the Lord says concerning the palace of the king of Judah, “This place looks like a veritable forest of Gilead to me. It is like the wooded heights of Lebanon in my eyes. But I swear that I will make it like a wilderness whose towns have all been deserted.
Jeremiah gave a second prophecy to King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim’s palace was called the “Forest of Lebanon,” because it was made of the beautiful cedar trees from Lebanon. Gilead was one of the more fruitful locations in Judah. If Jehoiakim does not enforce the Mosaic Law and protect his people, then Jehovah would turn his palace, the lush land of Gilead, and his cities into a dry wildernesses where no one would live.
22:7 I will send men against it to destroy it with their axes and hatchets. They will hack up its fine cedar panels and columns and throw them into the fire.
If King Jehoiakim does not enforce the Mosaic law, then Jehovah would send destroyers to tear down his beautiful palace.
22:8 “ ‘People from other nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, “Why has the Lord (יְהוָה֙) done such a thing to this great city?”
Gentiles would travel to Jerusalem and ask why Jehovah destroyed this once great city.
22:9 The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.”
The Gentiles would know that Jehovah destroyed Jerusalem, because Israel broke the conditional Mosaic Covenant.
22:10 “ ‘Do not weep for the king who was killed. Do not grieve for him. But weep mournfully for the king who has gone into exile. For he will never return to see his native land again.
The good King Josiah was killed in battle. The people chose his evil son (King Jehoahaz) to replace him. After three months, King Jehoahaz was taken into exile by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt. Jehoahaz died in exile. Jeremiah was telling these kings that it is better to die quickly in battle (such as Josiah) than it is to die in exile in a foreign land (such as Jehoahaz).
22:11 “ ‘For the Lord has spoken about Shallum son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but was carried off into exile. He has said, “He will never return to this land.
King Shallum was another name for King Jehoahaz.
22:12 For he will die in the country where they took him as a captive. He will never see this land again.”
King Jehoahaz died in exile in Egypt.
22:13 “ ‘Sure to be judged is the king who builds his palace using injustice and treats people unfairly while adding its upper rooms. He makes his countrymen work for him for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor.
King Jehoiakim was the older brother and successor of King Jehoahaz. He forced his people to commit hard labor for the building of his new palace without pay.
22:14 He says, “I will build myself a large palace with spacious upper rooms.” He cuts windows in its walls, panels it with cedar, and paints its rooms red.
King Jehoiakim’s philosophy of monarchy was not to enforce the Mosaic Law, but to live in royal luxury. This palace has been uncovered by modern archaeologists. The upper rooms were very large and luxurious, just as this verse described.
22:15 Does it make you any more of a king that you outstrip everyone else in building with cedar? Just think about your father. He was content that he had food and drink. He did what was just and right. So things went well with him.
Jehoiakim’s father was the good King Josiah. He enforced the Mosaic Law. He protected the widows and orphans. He paid men for their labor. He did what was right, so things went well for him.
22:16 He upheld the cause of the poor and needy. So things went well for Judah.’ The Lord says, ‘That is a good example of what it means to know me.’
King Josiah took care of the poor and needy. King Josiah did these things, because he wanted to know the mind of God.
22:17 But you are always thinking and looking for ways to increase your wealth by dishonest means. Your eyes and your heart are set on killing some innocent person and committing fraud and oppression.
Jehovah knew the very thoughts of the evil King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim’s eyes were set upon gaining wealth. He would shed innocent blood to obtain his goals.
22:18 So the Lord has this to say about Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah: People will not mourn for him, saying, “This makes me sad, my brother! This makes me sad, my sister!” They will not mourn for him, saying, “Poor, poor lord! Poor, poor majesty!”
When King Jehoiakim dies, he would have no mourners. His people would be glad that he was dead and gone.
22:19 He will be left unburied just like a dead donkey. His body will be dragged off and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.’ ”
When King Jehoiakim dies, he would be left unburied like a dead donkey. His body would be dragged outside of Jerusalem and thrown into the garage pits.
22:20 People of Jerusalem, go up to Lebanon and cry out in mourning. Go to the land of Bashan and cry out loudly. Cry out in mourning from the mountains of Moab. For your allies have all been defeated.
The palaces of the kings and nobles were made of cedars from Lebanon. Therefore, Lebanon was used as a metaphor for the wealthy leaders of Jerusalem.
The allies (lovers) of Judah would be defeated by the Babylonians. Therefore, the people from all over Judah were to travel to the king’s palace and lament their own coming destruction. They were to sing a funeral song for themselves, for they were all about to die.
22:21 While you were feeling secure I gave you warning. But you said, “I refuse to listen to you.” That is the way you have acted from your earliest history onward. Indeed, you have never paid attention to me.
Jerusalem was so secure in her prosperity, that she refused to listen to God’s prophets. America is in the same dangerous situation today.
22:22 My judgment will carry off all your leaders like a storm wind! Your allies will go into captivity. Then you will certainly be disgraced and put to shame because of all the wickedness you have done.
All of Jerusalem’s allies (lovers) will be carried off into the Babylonian Captivity.
22:23 You may feel as secure as a bird nesting in the cedars of Lebanon. But oh how you will groan when the pains of judgment come on you. They will be like those of a woman giving birth to a baby.
The cedars of Lebanon were very high trees which no predator could climb. Birds felt secure nesting in the tops of these high trees. Jerusalem felt just as secure as these birds. However, Jerusalem’s prosperity would not save her. The pain which would come to her would be like the pain of a woman in childbirth.
22:24 The Lord says, “As surely as I am the living God, you, Jeconiah, king of Judah, son of Jehoiakim, will not be the earthly representative of my authority. Indeed, I will take that right away from you.
Jeremiah announced a prophecy against the evil King Jeconiah of Judah. He was also known as Jehoiakim and Coniah. All of these names mean “Jehovah will firmly establish.” Jeremiah called him “Coniah.” He dropped the “Jehovah” out of his name, because Jehovah was not going to establish him as king. Jeconiah was from the line of David, but God would not allow any of his children to reign as kings of Israel.
22:25 I will hand you over to those who want to take your life and of whom you are afraid. I will hand you over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his Babylonian soldiers.
King Jeconiah reigned for three months and then was taken into captivity by King Nebuchadnezzar. He would become a prisoner of Babylon.
22:26 I will force you and your mother who gave you birth into exile. You will be exiled to a country where neither of you were born, and you will both die there.
Both mother and son would die in a foreign land.
22:27 You will never come back to this land to which you will long to return!”
King Jeconiah would always desire to return to Jerusalem and continue his rule, but it would never happen.
22:28 This man, Jeconiah, will be like a broken pot someone threw away. He will be like a clay vessel that no one wants. Why will he and his children be forced into exile? Why will they be thrown out into a country they know nothing about?
Jehovah cursed Jeconiah for his disobedience. Jeconiah would be like a shattered vessel that is good for nothing. No one wold want him around. He and his children would be forced into exile.
22:29 O land of Judah, land of Judah, land of Judah (אָ֑רֶץ אָ֑רֶץ אָ֑רֶץ)! Listen to what the Lord has to say!
The Hebrew for “O land of Judah, land of Judah, land of Judah” is אָ֑רֶץ אָ֑רֶץ אָ֑רֶץ (eretz eretz eretz). The text does not say “land of Judah” three times. It literally says “Earth, earth, earth! Listen to what the Lord has to say.” Jehovah was speaking to the entire earth, not just to Judah. He was emphatically telling the entire earth that they need to listen very carefully to His message.
22:30 The Lord says, “Enroll this man in the register as though he were childless. Enroll him as a man who will not enjoy success during his lifetime. For none of his sons will succeed in occupying the throne of David or ever succeed in ruling over Judah.”
Jehovah was telling the whole earth that King Jeconiah would have children, but none of them would sit upon the throne of David. None of them would bear the Messiah. Therefore, the Messiah must come from another line of David.
Joseph, the supposed father of the Lord Jesus Christ, was from the line of Jeconiah. This means that Jesus cannot come from the line of Jeconiah. He must come from another Davidic line.
Mary was the human mother of Jesus. She was from the line of David through Nathan (and not Jeconiah). Therefore, Jesus received His messianic genealogy from Mary and not Joseph. Matthew explains this incredible prophecy in detail in the genealogies of his gospel.