Jeremiah 26

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

When Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, first became king, this word came from the Lord, saying,

2 Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak to them; diminish not a word:

This is what the Lord has said: Take your place in the open square of the Lord's house and say to all the towns of Judah, who come into the Lord's house for worship, everything I give you orders to say to them: keep back not a word;

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

It may be that they will give ear, and that every man will be turned from his evil way, so that my purpose of sending evil on them because of the evil of their doings may be changed.

4 And thou shalt say to them, Thus saith the LORD, If ye will not hearken to me to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

And you are to say to them, This is what the Lord has said: If you do not give ear to me and go in the way of my law which I have put before you,

5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you, both rising early, and sending [them], but ye have not hearkened;

And give ear to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you, getting up early and sending them, though you gave no attention;

6 Then will I 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 like Shiloh, and will make this town a curse to all the nations of the earth.

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

And in the hearing of the priests and the prophets and all the people, Jeremiah said these words in the house of the Lord.

8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded [him] to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

Now, when Jeremiah had come to the end of saying everything the Lord had given him orders to say to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people took him by force, saying, Death will certainly be your fate.

9 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.

Why have you said in the name of the Lord, This house will be like Shiloh, and this land a waste with no one living in it? And all the people had come together to Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S [house].

And the rulers of Judah, hearing of these things, came up from the king's house to the house of the Lord, and took their seats by the new door of the Lord's house.

11 Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and to all the people, saying, This man [is] worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

Then the priests and the prophets said to the rulers and to all the people, The right fate for this man is death; for he has said words against this town in your hearing.

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to 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.

Then Jeremiah said to all the rulers and to all the people, The Lord has sent me as his prophet to say against this house and against this town all the words which have come to your ears.

13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

So now, make a change for the better in your ways and your doings, and give ear to the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will let himself be turned from the decision he has made against you for evil.

14 As for me, behold, I [am] in your hand: do with me as it seemeth good and meet to you.

As for me, here I am in your hands: do with me whatever seems good and right in your opinion.

15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye will surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its inhabitants: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.

Only be certain that, if you put me to death, you will make yourselves and your town and its people responsible for the blood of one who has done no wrong: for truly, the Lord has sent me to you to say all these words in your ears.

16 Then said the princes and all the people to the priests and to the prophets; This man [is] not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

Then the rulers and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, It is not right for this man to be put to death: for he has said words to us in the name of the Lord our God.

17 Then arose certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

Then some of the responsible men of the land got up and said to all the meeting of the people,

18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed [like] a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.

Micah the Morashtite, who was a prophet in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, said to all the people of Judah, This is what the Lord of armies has said: Zion will become like a ploughed field, and Jerusalem will become a mass of broken walls, and the mountain of the house like the high places of the woodland.

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? did he not fear the LORD, and beseech the LORD, and the LORD repented of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

Did Hezekiah and all Judah put him to death? did he not in the fear of the Lord make prayer for the grace of the Lord, and the Lord let himself be turned from the decision he had made against them for evil? By this act we might do great evil against ourselves.

20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

And there was another man who was a prophet of the Lord, Uriah, the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim; he said against this town and against this land all the words which Jeremiah had said:

21 And 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 Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

And when his words came to the ears of Jehoiakim the king and all his men of war and his captains, the king would have put him to death; but Uriah, hearing of it, was full of fear and went in flight into Egypt:

22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor, and [certain] men with him into Egypt.

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

23 And they brought forth Urijah from Egypt, and brought him to Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

And they took Uriah out of Egypt and came back with him to Jehoiakim the king; who put him to death with the sword, and had his dead body put into the resting-place of the bodies of the common people.

24 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.

But Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, gave Jeremiah his help, so that he was not given into the hands of the people to be put to death.