26 In
the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah
came this word from the LORD, saying, 2 Thus
saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto
all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all
the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: 3 If
so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I
may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of
the evil of their doings. 4 And
thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken
to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, 5 To
hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you,
both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened; 6 Then
will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city 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. 8 Now
it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the
LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests
and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely
die. 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. 10 When
the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's
house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the new
gate of the LORD's house. 11 Then
spake the priests and the prophets unto 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. 12 Then
spake Jeremiah unto 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.
13
Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the
LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced
against you. 14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand:
do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. 15 But know ye for certain, that if ye
put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and
upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD
hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears. 16 Then said the princes and all the people
unto 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. 17 Then rose up certain of the elders of
the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the
days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake 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
a forest. 19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah
put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD,
and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them?
Thus might we procure great evil against our souls. 20 And there was also a man that prophesied
in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who
prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the
words of Jeremiah. 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; 22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into
Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into
Egypt. 23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of
Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword,
and cast his dead body into the graves 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. .