What does "unrighteousness" and "injustice" mean in the context of Jeremiah 22:13? Setting and Flow of the Passage Jeremiah 22 records the Lord’s message to the kings of Judah. Verse 13 zeroes in on a ruler who is expanding his palace while trampling workers’ rights. The text reads: “Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, who makes his neighbor serve without pay and will not give him his wages.” Hebrew Roots Behind the English Words • Unrighteousness – בְּלִי־צֶדֶק (beli-tsedeq): “without righteousness,” “without conformity to what is right.” • Injustice – בְּלִי־מִשְׁפָּט (beli-mishpat): “without justice,” “without proper judgment, legal equity.” Unrighteousness: Violating God’s Moral Standard • A deliberate absence of tsedeq—right order grounded in God’s character (Isaiah 45:19). • Covers any deceitful or dishonest means of gain: false weights (Proverbs 11:1), bribes (Exodus 23:8), or corrupt contracts. • In Jeremiah 22:13 the king builds “his palace” with wealth obtained by shortchanging workers. That very act is branded unrighteous. • Scripture’s literal stance: “You shall not oppress a hired servant… you must pay him his wages each day” (Deuteronomy 24:14-15). Injustice: Abusing Legal and Social Power • Mishpat refers to fair procedure and rightful treatment (Micah 6:8). Adding the negation (“without”) spotlights the total collapse of equitable judgment. • The king uses authority to dodge accountability, ordering labor yet refusing wages—an offense God counts as bloodguilt (Jeremiah 22:17). • Other prophets echo the charge: – “Woe to those… who withhold justice from the oppressed” (Isaiah 10:1-2). – “Do not defraud the hired worker of his wages” (Malachi 3:5). How the Two Terms Interlock 1. Unrighteousness describes the crooked heart motive. 2. Injustice describes the outward social result. The palace rises only because both inner corruption (unrighteousness) and structural corruption (injustice) work together. Supporting Scriptures • Leviticus 19:13 – “You must not defraud your neighbor or rob him.” • James 5:4 – “The wages you withheld from the workmen… are crying out against you.” These passages confirm that withholding pay is literally sin, not merely poor ethics. Timeless Application • God weighs not just what we build but how we build it. • Business owners, leaders, and anyone who hires others must guard against practices that Scripture labels unrighteous (dishonest gain) and unjust (unfair treatment). • True righteousness shows up in prompt, fair pay, transparent contracts, and a readiness to honor every worker made in God’s image. |
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