Woeto you, O land,whosekingis a ladand whose princesfeastin the morning.
Whereasmy fatherloadedyou with a heavyyoke,I will addto your yoke;my fatherdisciplinedyou with whips,but I will disciplineyou with scorpions.'"
and worthlessmengatheredabouthim, scoundrels,who provedtoostrongfor Rehoboam,the sonof Solomon,when he was youngand timidand could not holdhis ownagainstthem.
Zedekiahwas twenty-oneyearsoldwhen he becameking,and he reignedelevenyearsin Jerusalem.
Joahazwas twenty-threeyearsoldwhen he becameking,and he reignedthreemonthsin Jerusalem.
Jehoiakimwas twenty-fiveyearsoldwhen he becameking,and he reignedelevenyearsin Jerusalem;and he didevilin the sightof the LORDhis God.
Jehoiachinwas eightyearsoldwhen he becameking,and he reignedthreemonthsand tendaysin Jerusalem,and he didevilin the sightof the LORD.
A leaderwho is a greatoppressorlacksunderstanding,[But] he who hatesunjustgainwill prolong[his] days.
The toilof a fool[so] wearieshim that he does not [even] knowhow to goto a city.
O My people!Their oppressorsare children,And womenruleover them. O My people!Those who guideyou lead[you] astrayAnd confusethe directionof your paths.
O houseof David,thussaysthe LORD:"Administerjusticeevery morning;And deliverthe [person] who has been robbedfrom the powerof [his] oppressor,That My wrathmay not goforthlike fireAnd burnwith noneto extinguish[it], Becauseof the evilof their deeds.
