Jeremiah 22:16

Poverty and the vulnerable Justice God's presence Mercy and compassion

¹⁴ who says, ‘I will build myself a great palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ So he cuts windows in it, panels it with cedar, and paints it with vermilion.

¹⁵ Does it make you a king to excel in cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He administered justice and righteousness, and so it went well with him.

He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD.

¹⁷ “But your eyes and heart are set on nothing except your own dishonest gain, on shedding innocent blood, on practicing extortion and oppression.”

¹⁸ Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!’

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: He took up the cause of the poor and needy, and so it went well with him. Is this not what it means to know Me?” declares the LORD.
KJV: He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.
WEB: He judged the cause of the poor and needy; so then it was well. Wasn’t this to know me?” says the LORD.
ASV: He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Was not this to know me? saith Jehovah.
DARBY: He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Was not this to know me? saith Jehovah.
BLB: He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then [it was] well. Is this not to know Me?” A declaration of YHWH.

ÅB: Han hjalp den elendige og fattige til hans rett; da gikk det vel. Er ikke dette å kjenne meg? sier Herren.
OTB: Han forsvarte de fattiges og trengendes sak, og så gikk alt bra. Er ikke dette hva det betyr å kjenne meg?” erklærer Herren.
B1930: Han hjalp den elendige og fattige til hans rett; da gikk det vel. Er ikke dette å kjenne mig? sier Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jeremiah 9:24
But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth— for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.
Read in context
1 John 2:3–4
By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments.
Read in context
Isaiah 1:17
Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
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Titus 1:16
They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed.
Read in context
Psalms 72:1–4
Endow the king with Your justice, O God, and the son of the king with Your righteousness.
Read in context
John 17:3
Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
Read in context
Psalms 72:12–13
For he will deliver the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no helper.
Read in context
Jeremiah 9:16
I will scatter them among the nations that neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off.”
Read in context