4 If you carefully obey these commands, kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace with their officers and people, riding in chariots and on horses.
5 But if you don’t obey these commands, says the Lord, I swear by my own name that this king’s palace will become a ruin.’ ”
6 This is what the Lord says about the palace where the king of Judah lives:“You are tall like the forests of Gilead,like the mountaintops of Lebanon.But I will truly make you into a desert,into towns where no one lives.
7 I will send men to destroy the palace,each with his weapons.They will cut up your strong, beautiful cedar beamsand throw them into the fire.
8 “People from many nations will pass by this city and ask each other, ‘Why has the Lord done such a terrible thing to Jerusalem, this great city?’
9 And the answer will be: ‘Because the people of Judah quit following the agreement with the Lord their God. They worshiped and served other gods.’ ”
10 Don’t cry for the dead king or be sad about him.But cry painfully for the king who is being taken away,because he will never returnor see his homeland again.