Jeremiah 26

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

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, this word came from Yahweh, saying,

2 Thus hath said the Lord, Place thyself in the court of the house of the Lord, and speak against all of the cities of Judah, who come to prostrate themselves in the house of the Lord, all the words that I have commanded thee to speak unto them: omit not a word [thereof];

“Yahweh says this: Stand in the courtyard of my house and speak about all the cities of Judah who come to worship at my house. Proclaim all the words that I have commanded you to say to them. Do not cut short any word!

3 Perhaps it be that they will hearken, and return every man from his evil way, that I may bethink me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them, because of the wrongfulness of their doings.

It may be that they will listen, that each man will turn from his wicked ways, so I will relent concerning the disaster that I am planning to bring on them because of the wickedness of their practices.

4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord, if ye will not hearken unto me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

So you must say to them, 'Yahweh says this: If you do not listen to me so as to walk in my law that I have placed before you—

5 To hearken unto the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send unto you, yea, making them rise up early, and sending them, while ye have not hearkened:

if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I am persistently sending to you—but you have not listened!—

6 Then will I render this house like Shiloh, and this city will I render a curse unto all the nations of the earth.

then I will make this house like Shiloh; I will turn this city into a curse in the sight of all the nations on earth.'”

7 And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord:

The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah announcing these words in Yahweh's house.

8 And it came to pass, when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded [him] to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized on him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

So it happened that when Jeremiah had finished announcing all that Yahweh commanded him to say to all the people, the priests, prophets, and all the people seized him and said, “You will certainly die!

9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, Like Shiloh shall this house be, and this city shall be ruined, [left] without an inhabitant? And all the people assembled themselves against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

Why have you prophesied in Yahweh's name and said that this house will become like Shiloh and this city will become desolate, with no inhabitant?” For all the people had formed a mob against Jeremiah in Yahweh's house.

10 But when the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house unto the house of the Lord, and sat down at the entrance of the new gate of the Lord's house.

Then the officials of Judah heard these words and went up from the king's house to Yahweh's house. They sat in the gateway at the New Gate of Yahweh's house.

11 Then said the priests and the prophets unto the princes and unto all the people, as followeth, This man deserveth the punishment of death; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your own ears.

The priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people. They said, “It is right for this man to die, for he prophesied against this city, just as you heard with your own ears!”

12 Then said Jeremiah unto all the princes and unto all the people, as followeth, The Lord hath sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

So Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people and said, “Yahweh has sent me out to prophesy against this house and this city, to say all the words that you have heard.

13 But now amend your ways and your doings, and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God: and the Lord will bethink him of the evil that he hath spoken against you.

So now, improve your ways and your practices, and listen to the voice of Yahweh your God so that he will relent concerning the disaster that he has proclaimed against you.

14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and just in your eyes.

I myself—look at me!—am in your hand. Do to me what is good and right in your eyes.

15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye will surely place [the guilt of] innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon its inhabitants; for in truth hath the Lord sent me unto you to speak in your ears all these words.

But you must surely know that if you kill me, then you are bringing innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and its inhabitants, for Yahweh has truly sent me to you to proclaim all these words for your ears.”

16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets, This man is not deserving the punishment of death; for in the name of the Lord our God hath he spoken unto us.

Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, “It is not right for this man to die, for he has proclaimed things to us in the name of Yahweh our God.”

17 And then rose up certain men of the elders of the land, and said to all the assembly of the people, as followeth,

Then men from the elders of the land rose up and spoke to the entire assembly of the people.

18 Michah the Morashthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah the king of Judah. and said to all the people of Judah, as followeth, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Zion shall be ploughed up like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the house, woody high-places.

They said, “Micah the Morashite was prophesying in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He spoke to all the people of Judah and said, 'Yahweh of hosts says this: Zion will become a plowed field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the hill of the temple will become a thicket.'

19 Did Hezekiah the king of Judah and all Judah attempt to put him to death? behold, he did fear the Lord, and besought the Lord, and the Lord bethought him of the evil which he had spoken against them. And shall we bring a great wickedness on our souls?

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all of Judah put him to death? Did he not fear Yahweh and appease the face of Yahweh so that Yahweh would relent concerning the disaster that he proclaimed to them? So will we do greater evil against our own lives?”

20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord, Uriyah the son of Shema'yahu of Kiryath-ye'arim, who prophesied against this city and against this land in accordance with all the words of Jeremiah;

Meanwhile there was another man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh—Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim—he also prophesied against this city and this land, agreeing with all of Jeremiah's words.

21 And when king Jehoyakim, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriyahu heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and arrived in Egypt;

But when King Jehoiakim and all his soldiers and officials heard his word, then the king tried to put him to death, but Uriah heard and was afraid, so he ran away and went to Egypt.

22 But king Jehoyakim sent some men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of 'Achbor, and some men with him into Egypt:

Then King Jehoiakim sent out men to go to Egypt—Elnathan son of Akbor and men to go into Egypt after Uriah.

23 And they fetched Uriyahu out of Egypt, and brought him unto king Jehoyakim, who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body upon the graves of the common people.

They took Uriah out from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim. Then Jehoiakim killed him with a sword and sent his corpse out to the graves of the ordinary people.

24 But the hand of Achikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so as not to give him up into the hand of the people to put him to death.

But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so he was not given into the hand of the people to be put to death.