The Meaning of Jeremiah 22:3 Explained

Jeremiah 22:3

KJV: Thus saith the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.

YLT: Thus said Jehovah: Do ye judgment and righteousness, And deliver the plundered from the hand of the oppressor, And sojourner, orphan, and widow, ye do not oppress nor wrong, And innocent blood ye do not shed in this place.

Darby: Thus saith Jehovah: Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor; and do no wrong, do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless, or the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place.

ASV: Thus saith Jehovah: Execute ye justice and righteousness, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no violence, to the sojourner, the fatherless, nor the widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Thus saith  the LORD;  Execute  ye judgment  and righteousness,  and deliver  the spoiled  out of the hand  of the oppressor:  and do no wrong,  do no violence  to the stranger,  the fatherless,  nor the widow,  neither shed  innocent  blood  in this place. 

What does Jeremiah 22:3 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jeremiah instructed the king and his administrators to practice justice in their decisions regarding civil matters (cf. Jeremiah 21:12). They should protect the weak and vulnerable and should not shed innocent blood. Social justice has always been important to Yahweh.
"Who within our society are represented by the ones robbed by extortioners or by the sojourner, orphan, and widow? Is it the poor, the migrant, the alien? Is it the Third World worker who provides delicacies for our table, or cheap products for our market, but barely ekes out an existence for himself and his family? Is our concern for justice limited to ourselves and those like us? Or do we practice justice even toward those who have no advocate?" [1]

Context Summary

Jeremiah 22:1-30 - The Folly Of Idolatry
Jeremiah 10:1-10
We are here introduced into an idol-factory. Contrasted with the manufactured idols is the majesty of our God. There is none like Him. His name is great in might; He is the King of the nations, the true and living God, and the everlasting King! Christian, fear not or be dismayed when enemies plot against you. It is a vain device that they frame. To hide in God is a sure defence from all that man can do for our hurt. O thou true and living Savior, in thy wounds harried and faithful souls become strong and brave again.
Jeremiah 10:19-25
The prophet now bids the people prepare for their captivity. Their city would be as when a shepherd removed his slight and insubstantial tent, leaving no trace. But Jeremiah's soul is lacerated and torn with the message he must needs announce. Are we called to be shepherds? Let us see to it that we seek the Lord; so only shall our flocks not be scattered, Jeremiah 10:21. Are we in perplexity as to our path in life? It is not for us to direct ourselves, but to look up for God's sure guidance, which will be given to the soul that waits for it, Jeremiah 10:23. Are we being corrected? Let us be patient; it is only when we endure without complaining that our trial works out the highest good, and God will not give us more than we can bear, Jeremiah 10:24. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 22

1  He exhorts to repentance, with promises and threats
10  The judgment of Shallum;
13  of Jehoiakim;
20  and of Coniah

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 22:3 mean?

Thus says Yahweh Execute judgment and righteousness and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor And to the stranger the fatherless or the widow no do wrong do violence and blood innocent nor shed in place this
כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עֲשׂ֤וּ מִשְׁפָּט֙ וּצְדָקָ֔ה וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ גָז֖וּל מִיַּ֣ד עָשׁ֑וֹק וְגֵר֩ יָת֨וֹם וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה אַל־ תֹּנוּ֙ תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ וְדָ֣ם נָקִ֔י אַֽל־ תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ בַּמָּק֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה

כֹּ֣ה ׀  Thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֲשׂ֤וּ  Execute 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
מִשְׁפָּט֙  judgment 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
וּצְדָקָ֔ה  and  righteousness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: צְדָקָה  
Sense: justice, righteousness.
וְהַצִּ֥ילוּ  and  deliver 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: נָצַל  
Sense: to snatch away, deliver, rescue, save, strip, plunder.
גָז֖וּל  the  plundered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: גָּזַל  
Sense: to tear away, seize, plunder, tear off, pull off, rob, take away by force.
מִיַּ֣ד  out  of  the  hand 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
עָשׁ֑וֹק  of  the  oppressor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָשֹׁוק  
Sense: oppressor, extortioner.
וְגֵר֩  And  to  the  stranger 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֵּר  
Sense: sojourner.
יָת֨וֹם  the  fatherless 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָתֹום  
Sense: an orphan, fatherless.
וְאַלְמָנָ֤ה  or  the  widow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַלְמָנָה  
Sense: widow.
אַל־  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תֹּנוּ֙  do  wrong 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: יׄונָה 
Sense: to oppress, suppress, treat violently, maltreat, vex, do wrong.
תַּחְמֹ֔סוּ  do  violence 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: חָמַס 
Sense: to wrong, do violence to, treat violently, do wrongly.
וְדָ֣ם  and  blood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
נָקִ֔י  innocent 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: נָקִי 
Sense: clean, free from, exempt, clear, innocent.
אַֽל־  nor 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
תִּשְׁפְּכ֖וּ  shed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
בַּמָּק֥וֹם  in  place 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.