Jeremiah 26

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1. 1Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from the LORD:
2. 2"The LORD says: 'Stand in the courtyard of the LORD's house and speak to the people from every city in Judah who come to worship there. Deliver every word I command you to say — don't leave out a single one.
3. 3Maybe they'll listen and each turn away from their evil ways. If they do, I'll relent from the disaster I'm planning to bring on them because of their wicked actions.'
4. 4Tell them, 'The LORD says: If you refuse to listen to me and follow my law that I've laid out for you —
5. 5if you refuse to listen to my servants the prophets, whom I've sent to you again and again, though you've never listened —
6. 6then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
7. 7The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the LORD's house.
8. 8When Jeremiah finished delivering everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him, saying, 'You shall surely die.'
9. 9Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, 'This house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be desolate without an inhabitant'?' And all the people gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
10. 10When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's palace to the house of the LORD and sat down at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD's house.
11. 11The priests and prophets addressed the officials and the crowd: "This man deserves the death sentence! You heard him with your own ears — he prophesied against this city."
12. 12Jeremiah spoke up to all the officials and the people: "The LORD himself sent me to prophesy against this house and this city — every word you just heard.
13. 13So change your ways and your actions right now, and obey the voice of the LORD your God. If you do, the LORD will repent of the disaster he has declared against you.
14. 14As for me, I'm in your hands. Do with me whatever seems good and proper to you.
15. 15But understand this clearly: if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on everyone who lives here. Because the LORD truly did send me to speak every one of these words to you."
16. 16The officials and all the people turned to the priests and prophets and said, "This man doesn't deserve to die. He spoke to us in the name of the LORD our God."
17. 17Then some of the elders of the land stood up and addressed the whole assembly:
18. 18Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, 'The LORD of hosts says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become heaps, and the mountain of the house will be like the high places of a forest.'
19. 19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death at all? Did he not fear the LORD and plead with the LORD, and did the LORD not relent of the disaster which he had spoken against them? We might bring great disaster against our souls.
20. 20Now there was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD—Urijah, son of Shemaiah from Kirjathjearim. He prophesied against this city and this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.
21. 21When King Jehoiakim, along with his warriors and officials, heard Urijah's words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Urijah heard about it, he was afraid and fled to Egypt.
22. 22But King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt — Elnathan son of Achbor and others with him —
23. 23and they brought Urijah out of Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who killed him with the sword and threw his dead body into the graves of the common people.
24. 24Jeremiah, however, was protected by Ahikam son of Shaphan, who made sure he wasn't handed over to the mob to be killed.