“ Sing this funeral song for the princes of Israel:

“你当为以色列的王作起哀歌，

你当为以色列的领袖们唱哀歌，

你当为以色列的领袖们唱哀歌，

“你要为以色列的首领唱哀歌，

“你当为以色列的众领袖作一首哀歌，

你當為以色列的王作起哀歌，

你當為以色列的領袖們唱哀歌，

你當為以色列的領袖們唱哀歌，

「你要為以色列的首領唱哀歌，

“你當為以色列的眾領袖作一首哀歌，

你，你要為以色列的人君舉哀唱歌，

爾當為以色列牧伯作哀歌、

爾當為以色列牧伯作哀歌、

爾以西結當為以色列諸君諸君或作牧伯作哀歌、曰、

“ Take up a lament concerning the princes of Israel

“ Sing a song of sadness about Israel’s princes.

And you, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

“ As for you, take up a lament for the princes of Israel,

“ As for you, take up a song of mourning for the leaders of Israel

“ Moreover take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

Moreover, take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

“ Now, lament for the princes of Israel

Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

“ And you, sing a lament for the princes of Israel,

“ Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,

When Jehoiakim died, his son Jehoiachin became the next king.

Then they will wail for you, singing this funeral song:“ O famous island city, once ruler of the sea, how you have been destroyed! Your people, with their naval power, once spread fear around the world.

“ Son of man, sing a funeral song for Tyre,

Then King Jehoiachin, along with the queen mother, his advisers, his commanders, and his officials, surrendered to the Babylonians. In the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, he took Jehoiachin prisoner.

But the Babylonian troops chased the king and overtook him on the plains of Jericho, for his men had all deserted him and scattered.They captured the king and took him to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where they pronounced judgment upon Zedekiah.They made Zedekiah watch as they slaughtered his sons. Then they gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in bronze chains, and led him away to Babylon.

A fire has burst out from its branches and devoured its fruit. Its remaining limbs are not strong enough to be a ruler’s scepter.“ This is a funeral song, and it will be used in a funeral.”

which he unrolled. And I saw that both sides were covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow, and pronouncements of doom.

While Josiah was king, Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, went to the Euphrates River to help the king of Assyria. King Josiah and his army marched out to fight him, but King Neco killed him when they met at Megiddo.Josiah’s officers took his body back in a chariot from Megiddo to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land anointed Josiah’s son Jehoahaz and made him the next king.

Pharaoh Neco then installed Eliakim, another of Josiah’s sons, to reign in place of his father, and he changed Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim. Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt as a prisoner, where he died.

And from among the people still hiding in the city, he took an officer who had been in charge of the Judean army; seven of the king’s personal advisers; the army commander’s chief secretary, who was in charge of recruitment; and sixty other citizens.Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, took them all to the king of Babylon at Riblah.And there at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king of Babylon had them all put to death. So the people of Judah were sent into exile from their land.

Then he was deposed by the king of Egypt, who demanded that Judah pay 7,500 pounds of silver and 75 pounds of gold as tribute.

Therefore, this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah:“ The people will not mourn for him, crying to one another,‘ Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ His subjects will not mourn for him, crying,‘ Alas, our master is dead! Alas, his splendor is gone!’He will be buried like a dead donkey— dragged out of Jerusalem and dumped outside the gates!

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:“ Consider all this, and call for the mourners. Send for the women who mourn at funerals.Quick! Begin your weeping! Let the tears flow from your eyes.

And if you still refuse to listen, I will weep alone because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord’s flock will be led away into exile.Say to the king and his mother,“ Come down from your thrones and sit in the dust, for your glorious crowns will soon be snatched from your heads.”

The king of Babylon made Zedekiah watch as he slaughtered his sons. He also slaughtered all the officials of Judah at Riblah.Then he gouged out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in bronze chains, and the king of Babylon led him away to Babylon. Zedekiah remained there in prison until the day of his death.

As they wail and mourn over you, they sing this sad funeral song:‘ Was there ever such a city as Tyre, now silent at the bottom of the sea?

“ Son of man, weep for the hordes of Egypt and for the other mighty nations. For I will send them down to the world below in company with those who descend to the pit.

The prophet Jeremiah composed funeral songs for Josiah, and to this day choirs still sing these sad songs about his death. These songs of sorrow have become a tradition and are recorded in The Book of Laments.

Yes, this is the funeral song they will sing for Egypt. Let all the nations mourn. Let them mourn for Egypt and its hordes. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!”

This is what the Lord says:‘ Let the record show that this man Jehoiachin was childless. He is a failure, for none of his children will succeed him on the throne of David to rule over Judah.’

“ Why is this man Jehoiachin like a discarded, broken jar? Why are he and his children to be exiled to a foreign land?

After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to Babylon along with the officials of Judah and all the craftsmen and artisans, the Lord gave me this vision. I saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord’s Temple in Jerusalem.

Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss. Instead, weep for the captive king being led away! For he will never return to see his native land again.For this is what the Lord says about Jehoahaz, who succeeded his father, King Josiah, and was taken away as a captive:“ He will never return.He will die in a distant land and will never again see his own country.”

Our king— the Lord’s anointed, the very life of our nation— was caught in their snares. We had thought that his shadow would protect us against any nation on earth!

“ But the bad figs,” the Lord said,“ represent King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, all the people left in Jerusalem, and those who live in Egypt. I will treat them like bad figs, too rotten to eat.

Our princes are being hanged by their thumbs, and our elders are treated with contempt.

I will weep for the mountains and wail for the wilderness pastures. For they are desolate and empty of life; the lowing of cattle is heard no more; the birds and wild animals have all fled.

If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and captured it, and he bound Jehoiakim in bronze chains and led him away to Babylon.

In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon. Many treasures from the Temple of the Lord were also taken to Babylon at that time. And Nebuchadnezzar installed Jehoiachin’s uncle, Zedekiah, as the next king in Judah and Jerusalem.