ירמיהו, פרק כ״ב, פסוק י״ז

The leadership of King Jehoiakim stands as a profound disgrace, entirely abandoning the noble duties of royalty. Instead of dedicating himself to the welfare of his people and the pursuit of justice, the king operates as a corrupt figure whose sole interest lies in unfairly seizing the property of others [שטיינזלץ]. His very senses and desires act as agents of his corruption, with his sight and his heart working together to direct every thought and action toward his own selfish benefit [מלבי״ם]. The primary approach among commentators is that the king is driven by a relentless greed for wealth and the urge to rob others. This lust for money is so consuming that any outward display of repentance is completely hollow. Even if the king were to deny himself or engage in personal affliction, he does so without any pure intention. His only goal is to wipe the slate clean for past wrongs so that he can immediately return to his corrupt pursuit of wealth [מצודת דוד].

The king's cruelty manifests in a devastating combination of economic and physical abuse. The primary approach among commentators is that his actions involve the literal breaking and crushing of the poor. The abuse is twofold: financial oppression, such as outright robbery and the withholding of wages, is coupled with severe physical violence, including the beating of laborers and forcing them into hard labor [רד״ק]. These abuses unfold in a brutal sequence. The king first drains a person of all their wealth, and once their money is completely gone and there is nothing left to take, he turns to physically crushing their bodies [מלבי״ם].

This corruption reaches its absolute peak within the justice system itself. Naturally, a king is meant to protect the vulnerable, prevent the shedding of innocent blood, and stop oppression. Yet, this ruler uses his immense power to do the exact opposite. Even when he takes his seat as a judge to try a murderer or an oppressor, his underlying motive has nothing to do with true justice. He sentences criminals to death simply so he can execute them under the cover of the law, allowing him to confiscate their wealth directly into his own private treasury [מלבי״ם].