"Jehoiakim was condemned by Jeremiah more severely than any other king. He seems to have been a typical Oriental despot who rejected Josiah's reforms."307
22:13-14 Jeremiah called down woe on the person who advanced his own interests, and built his own royal house (palace and, by implication, dynasty), by abusing the rights of others (cf. Lev. 19:13; Deut. 24:14; Mal. 3:5).
"This man, who gave his mind to trivialities at a time of crisis, and who saw his subjects only as exploitable, was a vulture at law and a peacock at home."308
22:15 The measure of a king's greatness is not really the beauty and cost of his palace but his righteousness and justice. Jehoiakim's father, Josiah, had been a great king, and God had blessed him because he practiced these virtues (cf. John 4:34).
22:16 Josiah had given justice to those who needed it regardless of who they were. By this he demonstrated that he really knew Yahweh. He behaved like Yahweh.
22:17 Jehoiakim had only been interested in acquiring things for himself, even dishonestly. He resorted to oppression, extortion, and even murder to get what he wanted (26:20-23; 2 Kings 24:3-4).
"Jehoiakim, who was only twenty-five years old when he began to reign and only thirty-six when he died (2 K. 23:36), was evidently a thoroughly spoiled and self-indulgent young despot."309
22:18 Consequently when Jehoiakim died, people would not feel sorry or mourn over his departure. They would not lament for him or for the splendor he left behind. The Hebrew word hoy, usually translated "woe"but here rendered "alas,"occurs four times in this verse stressing the dire judgment that would befall this king.
22:19 Rather the people would treat his corpse with great disrespect. They would give him a burial similar to that of a donkey (or Jezebel), which people dragged outside the city gate and left to rot (cf. 36:30; 1 Kings 21:23-24).310
Of some people the Bible says nothing bad, but of Jehoiakim it says nothing good.311
