Jeremiah 26

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, came this word from Yahweh saying:

In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD:

2 Thus, saith Yahweh, —Stand thou in the court of the house of Yahweh, and speak unto all the cities of Judah who are entering in to bow down in the house of Yahweh, all the words which I have commanded thee to speak unto them, —do not thou keep back a word:

“The LORD says: ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Don’t omit a word.

3 Peradventure they will hear, and return every man from his wicked way, —and I shall repent as to the calamity which I am devising to execute upon them because of the wickedness of their doings:

It may be they will listen, and every man turn from his evil way, that I may relent from the evil which I intend to do to them because of the evil of their doings.’”

4 Therefore shalt thou say unto them Thus, saith Yahweh, —If ye will not hearken unto me, To walk in my law which I have set before you;

You shall tell them, “The LORD says: ‘If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you,

5 To hearken unto the words of my servants the prophets, whom I am sending unto you, even, betimes, sending, though ye have not hearkened,

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 I will make this house like Shiloh, —And, this city, will I make a contempt to all the nations of the earth.

then I will 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 Yahweh.

The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the LORD’s house.

8 And it came to pass when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets, and all the people laid hold of him, saying—Thou shalt, surely die!

When Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You shall surely die!

9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of Yahweh, saying, Like Shiloh, shall this house become, And this city, shall be desolate, without inhabitant? And all the people, were gathered together unto Jeremiah in the house of Yahweh,

Why have you prophesied in the LORD’s name, saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be desolate, without inhabitant’?” All the people were crowded around Jeremiah in the LORD’s house.

10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then came they up out of the house of the king, unto the house of Yahweh, —and took their seats in the opening of the new gate of Yahweh.

When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the LORD’s house; and they sat in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house.

11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes, and unto all the people, saying, —Worthy of death, is this man, because he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your own ears,

Then the priests and the prophets spoke 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 spake Jeremiah, unto all the princes and unto all the people, saying, —Yahweh, sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city, all the words that ye have heard.

Then Jeremiah spoke to 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 you have heard.

13 Now, therefore amend your ways, and your doings, and hearken unto the voice of Yahweh your God, —that Yahweh may repent him, as to the calamity which he hath spoken concerning you.

Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the LORD your God’s voice; then the LORD will relent from the evil that he has pronounced against you.

14 But, I, behold me in your hand, —do with me as may be good and right in your eyes;

But as for me, behold, I am in your hand. Do with me what is good and right in your eyes.

15 Only, ye must, know, that If, ye, do put me, to death, verily innocent blood, are ye laying upon yourselves, and against this city, and against her inhabitants, —for of a truth, did Yahweh send me unto you, to speak in your ears, all these words.

Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”

16 Then said the princes, and all the people, unto the priests and unto the prophets, —There is nothing in this man worthy of death, for in the name of Yahweh our God, hath he spoken unto us.

Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: “This man is not worthy of death; for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”

17 Then rose up men from among the elders of the land, and spake unto all the convocation of the people saying:

Then certain of the elders of the land rose up, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

18 Micah the Morashtite, was prophesying, in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, —and he spake unto all the people of Judah, saying, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts—Zion, as a field, shall be plowed, And, Jerusalem, into heaps of ruins, shall be turned, And, the mountain of the house, [be] like mounds in a jungle,

“Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘The LORD of Hosts says: “‘Zion will be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem will 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? Did he not revere Yahweh, and appease the face of Yahweh? And did not Yahweh repent him, as to the calamity which he had spoken against them? We, therefore are doing a great wickedness against our own lives!

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Didn’t he fear the LORD, and entreat the favour of the LORD, and the LORD relented of the disaster which he had pronounced against them? We would commit great evil against our own souls that way!”

20 There was however, a man, prophesying in the name of Yahweh, Urijah, son of Shemaiah, of Keriath-jearim, —who prophesied against this city, and against this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah.

There was also a man who prophesied in the LORD’s name, 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 King Jehoiakim, and all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, then the king sought to put him to death, —but Urijah heard, and feared and fled and entered Egypt.

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 Then did King Jehoiakim send men to Egypt, —even Elnathan son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt

Then Jehoiakim the king sent Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him into Egypt.

23 and they brought forth Urijah out of Egypt, and took him in unto King Jehoiakim, who smote him with the sword, —and cast out his dead body among the graves of the sons of the people.

They fetched 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 Howbeit the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan, turned out to be 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 the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they didn’t give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.