For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth out of this place; He shall not return thither any more:

JEREMIAH 22:11KJV
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Jeremiah 22:11 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 22:11 mean?

Jeremiah 22:11 announces that the LORD has spoken about Shallum, the son of Josiah and king of Judah, saying that although Shallum left his homeland, he will never return there again. This verse declares a final judgment: Shallum will not come back to Jerusalem or rule there anymore.

Jeremiah is delivering God’s message to the people of Judah during a time of political upheaval. Shallum, also known as Jehoahaz, briefly ruled after his father Josiah but was taken away by a foreign power (Egypt) and never returned. The verse sets the stage for understanding the consequences of Judah’s leadership choices and the seriousness of exile.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 22:11

  • שַׁלֻּם (Shallum, H7967): This is the Hebrew name for the king also called Jehoahaz. The use of this name highlights his brief, disrupted reign and personal fate.
  • יֹאשִׁיָּה (Josiah, H2977): Naming Josiah as Shallum’s father reminds the reader of the contrast between Josiah’s faithful reign and his son’s troubled rule.
  • מָקוֹם (maqom, H4725): This word for “place” refers specifically to the land of Judah or Jerusalem, making it clear that Shallum’s exile is permanent—he will not return home.

Why Jeremiah 22:11 matters

  • Jeremiah 22:11 clarifies that Shallum’s removal is not temporary exile but a permanent judgment, countering any hope that he might return as king.
  • The verse connects the fate of Judah’s kings directly to their actions and God’s will, emphasizing that leadership is accountable to God.
  • By naming Shallum and his father Josiah, Jeremiah draws a sharp contrast between a good king and his less fortunate successor, highlighting the decline in Judah’s leadership.

Where else these words appear

“Shallum” Hebrew H7967 · used in 26 verses

  • 2 Kings 15:10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.
  • 1 Chronicles 4:25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe;(now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college:) and they spake to her to that effect.

“touching” Hebrew H413 · used in 37 verses

  • Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
  • Exodus 8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
  • 1 Samuel 4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.

“Josiah” Hebrew H2977 · used in 48 verses

  • 1 Kings 13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee.
  • 2 Chronicles 33:25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his stead.
  • Jeremiah 1:3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the fifth month.