1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king
of Judah, came this word from Yahweh, saying, 2 Thus says Yahweh: Stand in
the court of Yahweh’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come
to worship in Yahweh’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to
them; don’t diminish a word. 3 It may be they will listen, and turn every
man from his evil way; that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do
to them because of the evil of their doings. 4 You shall tell them, Thus
says Yahweh: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law, which I
have set before you, 5 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 will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make
this city a curse to all the nations of the earth. 7 The priests and the
prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house
of Yahweh. 8 It happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all
that Yahweh 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 the name of Yahweh, 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 Yahweh.
10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the
king’s house to the house of Yahweh; and they sat in the entry of the new
gate of Yahweh’s house. 11 Then spoke the priests and the prophets
to the princes 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 Then spoke Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people,
saying, Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city
all the words that you have heard. 13 Now therefore amend your ways
and your doings, and obey the voice of Yahweh your God; and Yahweh will
repent him of the evil that he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for
me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as is good and right in your eyes.
15 Only know for certain that, if you put me to death, you
will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on the
inhabitants of it; for of a truth Yahweh has sent me to you to speak 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 of death; for he has
spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God. 17 Then rose up certain of the
elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
18 Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah;
and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says Yahweh 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 Judah put him to death? Didn’t he fear Yahweh, and entreat
the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh repented him of the evil which he had
pronounced against them? Thus should we commit great evil against our own
souls. 20 There was also a man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh, 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 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 Uriah 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 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 the
son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand
of the people to put him to death.
World English Bible - Public Domain |
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