1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD , saying , 2Thus 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 : 3If 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 . 4And 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, 5To 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 ; 6Then will I make this house like Shiloh , and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth .
The Response of the People and Officials
7So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD . 8Now 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 . 9Why 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 . 10When 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 . 11Then 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 .
Jeremiah's Defense
12Then 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 . 13Therefore 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. 14As for me, behold, I am in your hand : do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you. 15But 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 .
The Fate of Jeremiah
16Then 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 . 17Then rose up certain of the elders of the land , and spake to all the assembly of the people , saying , 18Micah 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 . 19Did 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 . 20And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD , Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim , who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah : 21And 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 ; 22And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt , namely , Elnathan the son of Achbor , and certain men with him into Egypt . 23And 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 . 24Nevertheless 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 .