Jeremiah 26

1 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the LORD:

This message came from the Lord at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah king of Judah,

2 “This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the house of the LORD and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all the cities of Judah who come to worship there. Do not omit a word.

This is what the Lord says: Go and stand in the Temple courtyard and deliver the whole message I have ordered you to give to everyone who comes from all the towns of Judah to worship there. Don't leave out a single word.

3 Perhaps they will listen and turn—each from his evil way of life—so that I may relent of the disaster I am planning to bring upon them because of the evil of their deeds.

Maybe they'll they will listen, and each of them will give up their evil ways so that I won't have to carry out the disaster I'm planning to bring down on them because of the evil things they do.

4 And you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘If you do not listen to Me and walk in My law, which I have set before you,

Tell them that this is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have given you,

5 and if you do not listen to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I have sent you again and again even though you did not listen,

and if you don't listen to the messages of my servants the prophets—I've sent them to you time and again, but you refused to listen—

6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.’”

then I will destroy this Temple like I did Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse word used by everyone on earth.

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

The priests and prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah deliver this message in the Lord's Temple.

8 and as soon as he had finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people seized him, shouting, “You must surely die!

As soon as he had finished telling everyone all that the Lord had ordered him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people grabbed him, shouting, “You'll die for this!

9 How dare you prophesy in the name of the LORD that this house will become like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted!” And all the people assembled against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

How dare you claim to speak in the Lord's name here in the Temple and declare that it will be destroyed like Shiloh, and that this city will be left empty and abandoned?” Everyone crowded around Jeremiah threatening him in the Lord's Temple.

10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they went up from the king’s palace to the house of the LORD and sat there at the entrance of the New Gate.

When the leaders of Judah heard what happened they came from the king's palace to the Lord's Temple and sat at the entrance of the New Gate of the Temple to judge the case.

11 Then the priests and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man is worthy of death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears!”

The priests and prophets complained to the leaders and all the people, “This man is deserves the death penalty because he has committed treason by prophesying against this city. You heard it yourselves!”

12 But Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people, “The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

Jeremiah addressed all the leaders and all the people, saying, “The Lord sent me to deliver every word of this prophecy against this Temple as you've heard.

13 So now, correct your ways and deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, so that He might relent of the disaster He has pronounced against you.

So change your ways and do what's right, and do what Lord your God tells you, so that he won't have to carry out the disaster he has announced he will bring down on you.

14 As for me, here I am in your hands; do to me what you think is good and right.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.

15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its residents; for truly the LORD has sent me to speak all these words in your hearing.”

But be careful, because you need to be aware that if you kill me, you will make yourselves, this city, and everyone who lives here guilty of murder, because it's true that the Lord sent me to tell you everything he said.”

16 Then the officials and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man is not worthy of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God!”

Then the leaders and all the people told the priests and prophets, “This man doesn't deserve the death penalty because he was speaking on behalf of the Lord our God.”

17 Some of the elders of the land stood up and said to the whole assembly of the people,

Some of the country's elders stood up and addressed everyone gathered there.

18 “Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.’

“Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah that this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Zion will become like a plowed field; Jerusalem will end up a pile of rubble; and the Temple mount will be overgrown with trees.’

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did Hezekiah not fear the LORD and seek His favor, and did not the LORD relent of the disaster He had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great harm on ourselves!”

Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in the country have him killed? Didn't Hezekiah respect the Lord and plead with him? Didn't the Lord change his mind about the disaster he had announced against them? But we are about to bring a great disaster on ourselves!”

20 Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did.

At around that time there was another man prophesying in the name of the Lord, Uriah, son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against Jerusalem and against the country just as Jeremiah did.

21 King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt.

King Jehoiakim and all his military officers and officials heard what he was saying, and the king wanted to have him executed. But when Uriah found out about it, he was frightened and ran away to Egypt.

22 Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men.

But King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan, son of Achbor, along with some others.

23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the sword and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.

They brought Uriah back from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim. The king killed him with a sword and had his body thrown into the public graveyard.

24 Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

However, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, took Jeremiah's side so he was not handed over to the people to be killed.