In the beginning of the reign
of Jehoiakim
the son
of Josiah
king
of Judah
came this word
from the LORD
, saying
,
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
:
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
.
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,
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
;
Then will I make this house
like Shiloh
, and will make
this city
a curse
to all the nations
of the earth
.
So the priests and the prophets
and all the people
heard
Jeremiah
speaking
these words
in the house
of the LORD
.
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
.
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
.
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 .
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
.
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
.
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.
As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do
with me as seemeth
good
and meet
unto you.
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
.
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
.
Then rose up certain
of the elders
of the land
, and spake
to all the assembly
of the people
, saying
,
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
.
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
.
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
:
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 Jehoiakim the king
sent
men
into Egypt
, namely , Elnathan
the son
of Achbor
, and certain men
with him into Egypt
.
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
.
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
.