1 ¶ In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

In the beginning of the rule of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying,

2 T hus hath the LORD said: Stand in the court of the LORD’s house and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I commanded thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand in the open space of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the Lord’s house. Tell them all the words that I have told you to say to them. Do not leave out one word!

3 p eradventure they will hearken and turn each man from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

It may be they will listen and everyone will turn from his sinful way. Then I may change My mind about the trouble I plan to put on them because of the sinful things they have done.’

4 A nd thou shalt say unto them, Thus hath the LORD said: If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

And tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: “If you will not listen to Me and follow My Law which I have set before you,

5 t o hearken to the words of my slaves the prophets, whom I send unto you, rising up early and sending them, unto whom ye have not hearkened,

and if you do not listen to the words of My servants who speak for Me, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened,

6 t hen I will make this house like Shiloh and will give this city as a curse to all the Gentiles of the earth.

then I will make this House of God like Shiloh. And I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.”’”

7 ¶ And the priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

The religious leaders and the men of God and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.

8 N ow it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had told him to speak to all the people, the religious leaders and men of God and all the people took hold of him, saying, “You must die!

9 W hy hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

Why have you spoken in the name of the Lord saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be laid waste with no one living in it’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 W hen the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the LORD and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house.

When the leaders of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat beside the New Gate of the Lord’s house.

11 T hen the priests and the prophets spoke unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he has prophesied against this city as ye have heard with your ears.

Then the religious leaders and men of God said to the leaders and to all the people, “This man must die! For he has spoken against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”

12 T hen Jeremiah spoke unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

Then Jeremiah said to all the leaders and to all the people, “The Lord sent me to speak against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

13 T herefore now amend your ways and your doings and hear the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD himself will repent of the evil that he has pronounced against you.

So now change your ways and your works, and obey the voice of the Lord your God. Then the Lord will change His mind about the trouble He has said would come to you.

14 A s for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as seems good and meet unto you.

But as for me, see, I am in your hands. Do with me what is good and right in your eyes.

15 B ut know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and upon its inhabitants; for of a truth the LORD has sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

Only know for sure that if you put me to death, you will bring the sin of killing a man who is not guilty on yourselves, on this city, and on its people. For it is true that the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words for you to hear.”

16 ¶ Then the princes and all the people said unto the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy to die, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

Then the leaders and all the people said to the religious leaders and men of God, “No, this man should not be put to death! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 T hen certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the congregation of the people, saying,

Then some of the leaders of the land stood up and said to all the people who had gathered,

18 M icah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus hath the LORD of the hosts said; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the temple mount as the high places of a forest.

“Micah of Moresheth spoke in God’s name in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah. He said to all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of All has said: Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will be destroyed. And trees will cover the mountain where the Lord’s house is.’

19 D id Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? Did he not fear the LORD and besought the LORD, and the LORD himself repented of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Shall we commit such great evil against our souls?

Did King Hezekiah of Judah and all the people of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and pray for the Lord’s favor? And the Lord changed His mind about the trouble He had said would come to them. But we are about to bring a very bad thing on ourselves.”

20 T here was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

There was another man who spoke in the name of the Lord. He was Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He spoke against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah.

21 A nd Jehoiakim the king heard his words and all his mighty men and all the princes, and the king sought to put him to death, but when Urijah understood it, he was afraid and fled and went into Egypt.

When King Jehoiakim and all his powerful men and all his leaders heard his words, the king wanted to put Uriah to death. But Uriah heard about it, and he was afraid and ran away to Egypt.

22 A nd Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him into Egypt;

Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him to Egypt.

23 a nd they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

And they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who killed him with a sword. Then he threw his dead body where most people are buried.

24 N evertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

But Ahikam the son of Shaphan helped Jeremiah, so that he was not given over to the people to be put to death.