Jeremiah 22:2 kjv
And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates:
Jeremiah 22:2 nkjv
and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter these gates!
Jeremiah 22:2 niv
'Hear the word of the LORD to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David's throne?you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.
Jeremiah 22:2 esv
and say, 'Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.
Jeremiah 22:2 nlt
'Listen to this message from the LORD, you king of Judah, sitting on David's throne. Let your attendants and your people listen, too.
Jeremiah 22 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jer 22:2 | "and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O king of Judah, you who sit on the throne of David, you and your servants and your people who enter by these gates." | To listen to God's word |
| Psa 101:1 | "I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O Lord, I will sing." | King's duty of justice |
| Psa 72:1-4 | "Give the king your justice, O God, and your righteousness to the royal son! May he judge your people with righteousness, and your afflicted with justice!" | Justice for the afflicted |
| Isa 1:17 | "learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." | Specifics of justice |
| Jer 5:28 | "They grow sleek and fat and surpass in deeds of evil. They do not defend the rights of the oppressed, to the appeal of the needy they do not attend." | Contrast of unrighteousness |
| Jer 7:5-7 | "For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly execute justice one with another, if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own ruin, then I will let you remain in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your fathers for all time." | Conditions for remaining in the land |
| Jer 17:24-25 | "But if you will indeed obey my voice, declares the Lord, and will not bear a burden on the Sabbath day, but will hallow the Sabbath day, to labor on it, then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and princes who sit on David's throne, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city shall be inhabited forever." | Promise of continued Davidic rule |
| Jer 23:5-6 | "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’" | The Righteous Branch |
| Deut 17:14-15 | "when you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it, and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set over you a king whom the Lord your God will choose." | God's choice of king |
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | "When your days are ended and you lie with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." | Davidic covenant |
| Amos 5:24 | "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." | Call for justice |
| Micah 6:8 | "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" | God's requirements |
| Matt 23:23 | "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." | True righteousness |
| Luke 1:48-50 | "For he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name, and his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation." | Mary's Magnificat echoes God's favor on the humble |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." | Fulfillment in Christ |
| Rom 3:23-26 | "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his forbearance he had passed over former sins." | God's righteousness |
| Rev 19:11 | "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war." | Christ as righteous judge |
| Psa 99:4 | "May the king's strength also love justice! You established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob." | God's own justice |
| Eze 44:24 | "On a Sabbath of solemn assembly they shall decide disputes, and they shall give judgment according to my laws, and they shall keep my statutes and my ordinances in all my feasts, and they shall hallow my Sabbaths." | Priests' duty in judging |
| Zech 7:9-10 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Execute true justice, show kindness and compassion to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his brother." | Detailed requirements for justice |
Jeremiah 22 verses
Jeremiah 22 2 Meaning
This verse is a direct divine command given through the prophet Jeremiah to the king of Judah, concerning his palace and his conduct. It's a powerful injunction to act with justice and righteousness, to protect the vulnerable, and to live with integrity, lest disaster befall him and his house.
Jeremiah 22 2 Context
Jeremiah 22 is a collection of judgments against several Judean kings, including Shallum, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin, and also against the people in general. This specific verse addresses the king who is currently on the throne of David, serving as an introduction to a series of pronouncements against the ruling house of Judah. The backdrop is the impending Babylonian exile, a consequence of Judah's persistent disobedience, idolatry, and injustice. God is speaking through Jeremiah to hold the king accountable, reminding him of his position as a descendant of David and the responsibilities that come with it. The gates of the city signify access and authority, indicating that the king's pronouncements and actions affect everyone who passes through them.
Jeremiah 22 2 Word Analysis
- "Hear": (Hebrew: שְׁמַע - shema) - This is a foundational command in the Old Testament, meaning to listen, to heed, and to obey. It's not just passive hearing but an active reception and implementation of the message.
- "the word": (Hebrew: דָּבָר - davar) - Refers to the divine utterance, God's communication, prophecy, or command.
- "of the Lord": (Hebrew: יְהוָה - Yahweh) - The covenant name of God, emphasizing His personal relationship with His people and the authority of His pronouncements.
- "O king": (Hebrew: מֶלֶךְ - melekh) - The reigning monarch of Judah.
- "of Judah": (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה - Yehudah) - The southern kingdom, with Jerusalem as its capital.
- "you who sit": (Hebrew: הַיֹּשֵׁב - hayoshev) - Emphasizes the present position and authority of the king on his throne.
- "on the throne": (Hebrew: עַל־כִּסֵּא - al-kissei) - Symbol of royal power, authority, and legitimacy.
- "of David": (Hebrew: דָּוִד - David) - Refers to the royal dynasty established by King David, which God had promised would endure forever. This lineage connection highlights a covenant responsibility.
- "you and your servants": (Hebrew: אַתָּה וַעֲבָדֶיךָ - attah va'avadeykha) - Includes not only the king but also his court and advisors, who are also accountable.
- "and your people": (Hebrew: וְעַמְּךָ - ve'amzekha) - Extends the accountability to the citizens of Judah.
- "who enter by these gates": (Hebrew: הַבָּאִים בַּשְּׁעָרִים הָאֵלֶּה - habe'im bashsha'arim ha'elleh) - The gates are a metaphor for the city's entry points, representing public access, official business, and the king's jurisdiction over all who come and go. It signifies that all levels of society within the kingdom are addressed.
Jeremiah 22 2 Bonus Section
The address "you who sit on the throne of David" carries immense theological weight. It evokes the Davidic covenant, wherein God promised an everlasting dynasty and kingdom (2 Sam 7). However, this promise was conditional upon obedience. The king was not an autonomous ruler but a representative of God, expected to rule justly according to divine law. This verse, therefore, acts as a crucial reminder of that covenant's demands. It highlights that rightful succession and enduring rule depend on faithfulness to God's mandates for justice and righteousness, themes echoed throughout the prophetic literature and finding ultimate fulfillment in the reign of Jesus Christ, the true King from the line of David.
Jeremiah 22 2 Commentary
This verse is a foundational call to righteous leadership. For the king of Judah, who occupied a position analogous to a steward of God's covenant promises tied to David, hearing and obeying the word of the Lord was paramount. The command is comprehensive, extending from the monarch himself to his court and ultimately to the people who traverse the gates of the kingdom. It underscores that God's expectations for justice and righteousness apply to the entire nation, with the king bearing a primary responsibility to ensure these virtues permeate society. His throne is meant to be an instrument of God's justice, not a seat of oppression. Failure to heed this divine word would lead to severe consequences, as detailed in the subsequent verses of this chapter.