Jeremiah 22:3

3 This is God's Message: Attend to matters of justice. Set things right between people. Rescue victims from their exploiters. Don't take advantage of the homeless, the orphans, the widows. Stop the murdering!

Jeremiah 22:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 22:3

Thus saith the Lord, execute ye judgment and righteousness,
&c.] Judge righteous Judgment; give the cause to whom it belongs, without respect of persons, and without a bribe or corruption; do no unrighteousness to any, by withholding from them what is due unto them, which was what this prince was chargeable with, ( Jeremiah 22:13 ) ; and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor;
that was robbed or wronged of his property by one superior to him in power or cunning; (See Gill on Jeremiah 21:12); and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor
the widow:
who are not in a situation, and in such a condition and circumstances, as to defend themselves; and whom God has a peculiar regard unto; and therefore they who are his deputies and vicegerents, as kings and civil magistrates are, ought to protect such persons, and neither grieve and injure them themselves, nor suffer others to do it: neither shed innocent blood in this place;
to grieve and wrong the above persons is a very great evil, but to shed the blood of innocent per tons is a greater still; and this is aggravated by being committed by such who are set over men to secure and preserve their properties and their lives; and such heinous sins as these the present reigning king of Judah was guilty of; which is the reason of their being mentioned; see ( Jeremiah 22:17 ) .

Jeremiah 22:3 In-Context

1 God's orders: "Go to the royal palace and deliver this Message.
2 Say, 'Listen to what God says, O King of Judah, you who sit on David's throne - you and your officials and all the people who go in and out of these palace gates.
3 This is God's Message: Attend to matters of justice. Set things right between people. Rescue victims from their exploiters. Don't take advantage of the homeless, the orphans, the widows. Stop the murdering!
4 "'If you obey these commands, then kings who follow in the line of David will continue to go in and out of these palace gates mounted on horses and riding in chariots - they and their officials and the citizens of Judah.
5 But if you don't obey these commands, then I swear - God's Decree! - this palace will end up a heap of rubble.'"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.