Jeremiah 26

Jeremiah Threatened with Death

1 aIn the beginning of the reign of bJehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2Thus says the Lord: cStand 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 dall the words that I command you to speak to them; edo not hold back a word. 3 fIt may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, gthat I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them hbecause of their evil deeds. 4You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: iIf you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, 5 jand to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you kurgently, lthough you have not listened, 6then I will make this house mlike Shiloh, and I will make this city na curse for all the nations of the earth.’”

7 oThe priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then pthe priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! 9Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be qlike Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, rwithout inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10When sthe 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 tentry of the New Gate of the house of the Lord. 11Then uthe priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, vThis man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

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 wmend your ways and your deeds, xand obey the voice of the Lord your God, yand the Lord will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you. 14 zBut as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. 15Only know for certain that if you put me to death, aayou 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.”

Jeremiah Spared from Death

16 abThen the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, acThis man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 adAnd certain of aethe elders of the land arose and spoke to all the assembled people, saying, 18Micah 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,

af“‘Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’
19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? agDid he not fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, ahand did not the Lord relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? aiBut we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves.”

20There was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from ajKiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah. 21And when akKing 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. 22Then alKing Jehoiakim sent to Egypt certain men, amElnathan the son of anAchbor and others with him, 23and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, aowho struck him down with the sword and dumped his dead body into the burial place of the common people.

24But the hand of apAhikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.

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