Jeremiah 22:3

The Lord says, “Do what is just and right. Deliver those who have been robbed from those ¹  who oppress them. Do not exploit or mistreat foreigners who live in your land, children who have no fathers, or widows. ²  Do not kill innocent people ³  in this land.

Ex 23:6-9; Le 19:15; De 10:18; De 16:18-20; De 19:10-13; De 24:7; De 25:1; De 27:19; 2Sa 23:3; 2Ki 24:4; Job 22:9; Job 24:9; Job 29:7-17; Job 29:12; Ps 68:5; Ps 72:2-4; Ps 94:6; Ps 94:21; Pr 6:17; Pr 23:10; Isa 1:15-20; Isa 1:23; Jer 5:28; Jer 7:6; Jer 9:24; Jer 21:12; Jer 22:17; Jer 26:16; Eze 22:7; Joe 3:19; Mic 3:11; Zec 7:9-11; Mal 3:5; Jas 1:27

¹ tn Heb “from the hand [or power] of.”

² tn Heb “aliens, orphans, or widows” treating the terms as generic or collective. However, the term “alien” carries faulty connotations and the term “orphan” is not totally appropriate because the Hebrew term does not necessarily mean that both parents have died.

sn These were classes of people who had no one to look out for their rights. The laws of Israel, however, were careful to see that their rights were guarded (cf. Deut 10:18) and that provision was made for meeting their needs (cf. Deut 24:19-21). The Lord promised to protect them (cf. Ps 146:9) and a curse was called down on any who deprived them of justice (cf. Deut 27:19).

³ tn Heb “Do not shed innocent blood.”

sn Do not kill innocent people. For an example of one of the last kings who did this see Jer 36:20-23. Manasseh was notorious for having done this and the book of 2 Kgs attributes the ultimate destruction of Judah to this crime and his sin of worshiping false gods (2 Kgs 21:16; 24:4).