Jeremiah 26

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, this word came from Yahweh, saying,

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

2 “Yahweh says this: Stand in the courtyard of my house and speak about all the cities of Judah who come to worship at my house. Proclaim all the words that I have commanded you to say to them. Do not cut short any word!

"Thus says Jehovah: Stand in the court of Jehovah's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Jehovah's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not diminish a word.

3 It may be that they will listen, that each man will turn from his wicked ways, so I will relent concerning the disaster that I am planning to bring on them because of the wickedness of their practices.

It may be they will listen, and turn every man from his evil way; that I may relent of the evil which I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings.

4 So you must say to them, 'Yahweh says this: If you do not listen to me so as to walk in my law that I have placed before you—

You shall tell them, 'Thus says Jehovah: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

5 if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I am persistently sending to you—but you have not listened!—

to 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;

6 then I will make this house like Shiloh; I will turn this city into a curse in the sight of all the nations on earth.'”

then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.'"

7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah announcing these words in Yahweh's house.

The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah.

8 So it happened that when Jeremiah had finished announcing all that Yahweh commanded him to say to all the people, the priests, prophets, and all the people seized him and said, “You will certainly die!

It happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold on him, saying, "You shall surely die.

9 Why have you prophesied in Yahweh's name and said that this house will become like Shiloh and this city will become desolate, with no inhabitant?” For all the people had formed a mob against Jeremiah in Yahweh's house.

Why have you prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, 'This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant?'" All the people were gathered to Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah.

10 Then the officials of Judah heard these words and went up from the king's house to Yahweh's house. They sat in the gateway at the New Gate of Yahweh's house.

When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of Jehovah; and they sat in the entry of the New Gate of Jehovah's house.

11 The priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people. They said, “It is right for this man to die, for he prophesied against this city, just as you heard with your own ears!”

Then spoke the priests and the prophets to the officials 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."

12 So Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people and said, “Yahweh has sent me out to prophesy against this house and this city, to say all the words that you have heard.

Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, "Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

13 So now, improve your ways and your practices, and listen to the voice of Yahweh your God so that he will relent concerning the disaster that he has proclaimed against you.

Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God; and Jehovah will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.

14 I myself—look at me!—am in your hand. Do to me what is good and right in your eyes.

But as for me, look, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your eyes.

15 But you must surely know that if you kill me, then you are bringing innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and its inhabitants, for Yahweh has truly sent me to you to proclaim all these words for your ears.”

Only 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 Jehovah has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears."

16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, “It is not right for this man to die, for he has proclaimed things to us in the name of Yahweh our God.”

Then the officials 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 Jehovah our God."

17 Then men from the elders of the land rose up and spoke to the entire assembly of the people.

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

18 They said, “Micah the Morashite was prophesying in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He spoke to all the people of Judah and said, 'Yahweh of hosts says this: Zion will become a plowed field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the hill of the temple will become a thicket.'

"Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, 'Thus says Jehovah of hosts: "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."'

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear Yahweh and appease the face of Yahweh so that Yahweh would relent concerning the disaster that he proclaimed to them? So will we do greater evil against our own lives?”

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear Jehovah, and seek the favor of Jehovah, and Jehovah relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own souls.

20 Meanwhile there was another man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh—Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim—he also prophesied against this city and this land, agreeing with all of Jeremiah's words.

"There was also a man who prophesied in the name of Jehovah, 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.

21 But when King Jehoiakim and all his soldiers and officials heard his word, then the king tried to put him to death, but Uriah heard and was afraid, so he ran away and went to Egypt.

And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the officials, 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.

22 Then King Jehoiakim sent out men to go to Egypt—Elnathan son of Akbor and men to go into Egypt after Uriah.

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

23 They took Uriah out from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim. Then Jehoiakim killed him with a sword and sent his corpse out to the graves of the ordinary people.

and they fetched forth 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."

24 But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so he was not given into the hand of the people to be put to death.

But 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.