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

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

2 Y ahweh says: Stand in the court of Yahweh’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Yahweh’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them; don’t diminish 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 I t may be they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do to 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 Y ou shall tell them, Yahweh says: If you will not listen 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 listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send to you, even rising up early and sending them, but you have not listened;

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 make this city a curse to all the nations 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 T he priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in Yahweh’s house.

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

8 W hen Jeremiah had finished speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You shall 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 have you prophesied in Yahweh’s name, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant? All the people were gathered to Jeremiah in Yahweh’s house.

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, they came up from the king’s house to Yahweh’s house; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of Yahweh’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 spoke the priests and the prophets to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy of death; for he has prophesied against this city, as you 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 spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you 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 N ow therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey Yahweh your God’s voice; and Yahweh will repent him 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 B ut as for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes.

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

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 of a truth Yahweh has sent me to 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 T hen the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh 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 rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly 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 Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Yahweh of Armies says: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house 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 to death? Didn’t he fear Yahweh, and entreat the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own 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 who prophesied in Yahweh’s name, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath Jearim; and he 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 when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard 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, 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 Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed 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 B ut 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.