Jeremiah 26

Cities of Judah Warned

1In the beginning of the reign of 1Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying, 2“This is what the Lord says: ‘2Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have 3come to worship in the Lord’s house 4all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. 5Do not omit a word! 36Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, and 7I will relent of the disaster which I am planning to inflict on them because of the evil of their deeds.’ 4And you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “8If you do not listen to Me, to 9walk in My Law which I have set before you, 5to listen to the words of 10My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened; 6then I will make this house like 11Shiloh, and I will make this city a 12curse to all the nations of the earth.”’”

A Plot to Murder Jeremiah

7The 13priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8Yet when Jeremiah finished speaking everything that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “14You must die! 9Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be 15in ruins, without inhabitant’?” And 16all the people gathered to Jeremiah at the house of the Lord.

10When the 17officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat at the 18entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11Then the priests and the prophets 19spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A 20death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied 21against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears!”

12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “22The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13Now then, 23reform your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will relent of the disaster which He has pronounced against you. 14But as for me, behold, 24I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. 15Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring 25innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words 26so that you hear them.”

Jeremiah Is Spared

16Then the officials and all the people 27said to the priests and the prophets, “No 28death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17Then 29some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18“3031Micah of Moresheth used to prophesy in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies has said: “32Zion will be plowed like a field, And Jerusalem will become heaps of ruins, And the 33mountain of the house like the 34high places of a forest.”’ 19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not 35fear the Lord and plead for the favor of the Lord, and 36the Lord relented of the disaster which He had pronounced against them? But we are 37committing a great evil against our own lives!”

20Indeed, there was also a man who used to prophesy in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from 38Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land words similar to all those of Jeremiah. 21When King Jehoiakim and all his warriors and all the officials heard his words, then the 39king sought to put him to death; but Uriah heard about it, and he was afraid, so he 40fled and went to Egypt. 22Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: 41Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him, to Egypt. 23And they brought Uriah from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who 42killed him with a sword and threw his dead body into the 43burial place of the 44common people.

24But the hand of 45Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was 46not handed over to the people to put him to death.