1Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord:2‘This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word.3Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.4Say to them, “This is what the Lord says: if you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you,5and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened),6then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse[1] among all the nations of the earth.” ’7The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord.8But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, ‘You must die!9Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?’ And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.10When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, ‘This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!’12Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: ‘The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard.13Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.14As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.15Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.’16Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, ‘This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’17Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people,18‘Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘ “Zion will be ploughed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.” (Mic 3:12)19‘Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favour? And did not the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!’20(Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did.21When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.22King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men.23They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)24Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Jeremiah 26
English Standard Version
Jeremiah Threatened with Death
1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: (2Ki 23:36; 2Ch 36:5; Jer 27:1)2“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the Lord all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. (De 4:2; De 12:32; Jer 19:14; Eze 3:10; Ac 20:27)3It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them because of their evil deeds. (Jer 4:4; Jer 18:8; Jer 26:13; Jer 26:19; Jer 36:3)4You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, (Le 26:14; De 28:15)5and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not listened, (Jer 25:3)6then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.’” (Jer 7:12; Jer 24:9)7The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. (Jer 23:33)8And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! (Jer 26:7)9Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. (Jer 4:7; Jer 26:6)10When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. (Jer 36:10; Jer 36:12)11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.” (Jer 26:7; Jer 26:16; Jer 38:4)12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.13Now therefore mend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the Lord your God, and the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. (De 30:2; Jer 7:3; Jer 26:3)14But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. (Jos 9:25)15Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the Lord sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.” (Mt 27:24)
Jeremiah Spared from Death
16Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” (Jer 26:8; Jer 26:11)17And certain of the elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, (Jer 19:1; Ac 5:34)18“Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’ (Mic 3:12)19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.” (Ex 32:14; 2Sa 24:16; 1Ki 13:6; 2Ch 32:26; Ac 5:39)20There was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah. (Jos 9:17; 1Sa 6:21; 1Sa 7:1; 1Ch 13:5)21And when King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt. (Jer 26:1; Jer 27:1)22Then King Jehoiakim sent to Egypt certain men, Elnathan the son of Achbor and others with him, (2Ki 22:12; 2Ki 22:14; Jer 26:21; Jer 36:12; Jer 36:25)23and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and dumped his dead body into the burial place of the common people. (Ne 9:26; Jer 22:17; Mt 21:35; Mt 23:37)24But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death. (2Ki 22:12)