Why does the Lord tell the people of Judah not to weep for him who is dead, but for him who goes away, never to return to the land?

This next short passage (Jeremiah 21:10–12) begins the review of the kings who ruled after Josiah. The first was Josiah’s son, Shallum.

Josiah died rather unexpectedly in 609 BC. He tried to support the rising Babylonian empire against the Egyptian and Assyrian alliance that was seeking to resist Babylonian dominance in the region. Josiah marched out against the Egyptian forces of Pharaoh Neco who was on his way to help the Assyrian army against Babylon and Josiah was killed in the skirmish (2 Kings 23:30; 2 Chronicles 35:23–24). Shallum was probably Josiah’s youngest son (1 Chronicles 3:15), but his popularity was great enough for the influential people of Judah to make him king after his father’s death, when he was just 23 years old (2 Kings 23:30–31; 2 Chronicles 36:1–2). He is also known as Jehoahaz, which was probably his throne name, and it means, The Lord sustains or holds. Once Pharoah Neco had established control over the region, which included Judah, he removed Shallum from the throne, after ruling for just three months, and sent him to exile in Egypt where he died (2 Kings 23:33–34; 2 Chronicles 36:2–3). All of this happened because Shallum was not faithful to the Lord (2 Kings 23:32)¹

Shallum is only named in Jeremiah 21:11, but the oracle concerning his rule and his fate begins in Jeremiah 21:10. The Lord says to the people of Judah, Weep not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him, but weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land. The people of Judah were devastated when Josiah was suddenly killed (2 Chronicles 35:24–25). However, the Lord tells the people, Weep not for him who is dead referring to Josiah. There is a much greater tragedy to be mourned, the exile of Shallum to Egypt. This is the first time that a king of Judah is taken into exile. This is an ominous sign for what lies ahead for the whole nation.²