1 I n the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying,

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

2 “ Thus says the Lord, ‘ Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who have come to worship in the Lord’s house all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not omit a word!

Thus 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:

3 P erhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the calamity which I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.’

peradventure 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.

4 A nd you will say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, “ If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you,

And 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,

5 t o listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have been sending to you again and again, but you have not listened;

to 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,

6 t hen I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse to all the nations of the earth.”’” A Plot to Murder Jeremiah

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

7 T he priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.

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

8 W hen Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “ You must die!

Now 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.

9 W hy have you prophesied in the name of the Lord saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

Why 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.

10 W hen the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.

When 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.

11 T hen the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”

Then 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.

12 T hen Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “ The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

Then 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.

13 N ow therefore amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you.

Therefore 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.

14 B ut as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight.

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

15 O nly know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.” Jeremiah Is Spared

But 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.

16 T hen the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “No death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

¶ 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.

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

Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the congregation of the people, saying,

18 “ Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus the Lord of hosts has said, “ Zion will be plowed as a field, And Jerusalem will become ruins, And the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.”’

Micah 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.

19 D id 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 the Lord changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against ourselves.”

Did 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?

20 I ndeed, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land words similar to all those of Jeremiah.

There 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:

21 W hen King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and all the officials heard his words, then the king sought to put him to death; but Uriah heard it, and he was afraid and fled and went to Egypt.

And 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.

22 T hen King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him went into Egypt.

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

23 A nd they brought Uriah from Egypt and led him to King Jehoiakim, who slew him with a sword and cast his dead body into the burial place of the common people.

and 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.

24 B ut the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was not given into the hands of the people to put him to death.

Nevertheless 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.