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.

JEREMIAH 22:3KJV
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Jeremiah 22:3 (KJV)

What does Jeremiah 22:3 mean?

Jeremiah 22:3 commands the people to act with justice and fairness, specifically telling them to rescue those who have been wronged, avoid harming vulnerable groups like foreigners, orphans, and widows, and not to shed innocent blood. The verse is a direct instruction from God to stop oppression and violence in society.

In this verse, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to the leaders and people of Judah, warning them about their unjust practices. The historical setting is a time of corruption and social injustice in Jerusalem, and this command highlights God’s concern for the mistreated and powerless. The verse calls for practical actions—delivering the oppressed and refraining from wrongdoing—rather than just religious observance.

The Hebrew behind Jeremiah 22:3

  • judgment (מִשְׁפָּט, mishpat): This word means more than just legal decisions; it refers to fair and just treatment, especially in legal or social matters. Here, it emphasizes the need for true justice in daily life.
  • righteousness (צְדָקָה, tsedaqah): This term often points to doing what is right and just, especially in relationships with others. It stresses that justice should be paired with moral goodness.
  • stranger (גֵּר, ger): This word refers to foreigners or non-Israelites living among the people. The verse singles out the stranger, along with orphans and widows, as especially vulnerable and in need of protection.
  • deliver (נָצַל, natsal): This verb means to rescue or snatch away from danger. The command to "deliver the spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor" is a call to actively intervene on behalf of those being wronged.

Why Jeremiah 22:3 matters

  • Jeremiah 22:3 clarifies that God’s expectations for His people go beyond ritual worship and focus on ethical behavior, especially toward those who are easily exploited.
  • The verse highlights the importance of protecting the vulnerable—foreigners, orphans, and widows—showing that justice is measured by how society treats its weakest members.
  • This command sets the tone for the surrounding passage, where Jeremiah warns that ignoring these instructions will lead to judgment and disaster for the nation.

Where else these words appear

“violence” Hebrew H2554 · used in 8 verses

  • Job 15:33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
  • Proverbs 8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
  • Lamentations 2:6 And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.

“wrong” Hebrew H3238 · used in 20 verses

  • Exodus 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
  • Psalms 123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.
  • Ezekiel 18:12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,

“spoiled” Hebrew H1497 · used in 30 verses

  • Genesis 21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
  • 1 Chronicles 11:23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
  • Isaiah 10:2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

“fatherless” Hebrew H3490 · used in 42 verses

  • Exodus 22:22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
  • Job 6:27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
  • Psalms 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.