[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.
