10 When the officials(A) of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate(B) of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death(C) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”(D)

12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials(E) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy(F) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.(G) 13 Now reform(H) your ways and your actions and obey(I) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent(J) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands;(K) do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood(L) on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words(M) in your hearing.”

16 Then the officials(N) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(O) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(P) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“‘Zion(Q) will be plowed like a field,
    Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(R)
    the temple hill(S) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[a](T)

19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(U) fear the Lord and seek(V) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(W) so that he did not bring the disaster(X) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(Y) on ourselves!”

20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim(Z) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim(AA) and all his officers and officials(AB) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.(AC) But Uriah heard of it and fled(AD) in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan(AE) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword(AF) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)(AG)

24 Furthermore, Ahikam(AH) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12

10 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.

11 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.

12 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.

13 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.

14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

15 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.

16 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.

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

18 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.

19 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.

20 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.

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 Urijah 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 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.

24 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.

Read full chapter