Jeremiah 26

1 In the beginning of the reign of Joakim the son of Josias king of Juda, came this word from the Lord, saying:

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

2 Thus saith the Lord: Stand in the court of the house of the Lord, and speak to all the cities of Juda, out of which they come, to adore in the house of the Lord, all the words which I have commanded thee to to speak unto them: leave not out one 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 If so be they will hearken and be converted every one from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil that I think to do unto them for the wickedness of their doings.

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 thou shalt say to them: Thus saith the Lord: If you will not hearken to me to walk in my law, which I have given to 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 To give ear to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent to you rising up early: and sending, and you have not hearkened:

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 I will make this house like Silo: and I will make this city a curse to 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 And the priests, and the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremias 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 when Jeremias made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests, and the prophets, and all the people laid hold on him, saying: Let him be put to death.

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 Why hath he prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying: This house shall be like Silo; and this city shall be made desolate, without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered together against Jeremias 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 And the princes of Juda heard these words: and they went up from the king’s house into the house of the Lord, and sat in the entry of the new gate of the house of the Lord.

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 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes, and to all the people, saying: The judgement of death is for this man: because he hath prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your 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 Then Jeremias spoke to all the princes, and to all the people, saying: The Lord sent me to prophesy concerning this house, and concerning this city all the words 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 Now therefore amend your ways, and your doings, and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God: and the Lord will repent of the evil that he hath spoken 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 But as for me, behold I am in your hands: do with me what is good and right in your eyes:

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

15 But know ye, and understand, that if you put me to death, you will shed innocent blood against your own selves, and against this city, and the inhabitants thereof. For in truth the Lord sent me to you, 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 princes, and all the people said to the priests, and to the prophets: There is no judgement of death for this man: for he hath 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 And some of the ancients of the land rose up: and they spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying:

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

18 Micheas of Morasthi was a prophet in the days of Ezechias king of Juda, and he spoke to all the people of Juda, saying: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Sion shall be ploughed like a field, and Jerusalem shall be a heap of stones: and the mountain of the house the high places of woods.

“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 Ezechias king of Juda, and all Juda, condemn him to death? did they not fear the Lord, and beseech the face of the Lord: and the Lord repented of the evil that they had spoken against them? therefore we are doing a great evil against our souls.

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 There was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urias the son of Semei of Cariathiarim: and he prophesied against this city, and against this land, according to all the words of Jeremias.

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 And Joakim, and all his men in power, and his princes heard these words: and the king sought to put him to death. And Urias heard it, and was afraid, and fled and went into 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 And king Joakim sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achobor, and men with him into Egypt.

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

23 And they brought Urias out of Egypt: and brought him to king Joakim, and he slew him with the sword: and he cast his dead body into the graves 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 So the hand of Ahicam the son of Saphan was with Jeremias, that he should not be delivered into the hands of the people, to put him to death.

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