1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this Word came from Jehovah, saying,
2 Thus says Jehovah: Stand in the court of Jehovahs house and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to bow down in Jehovahs house, all the Words that I command you to speak to them; do not diminish a word.
3 It may be that they will listen, and each man turn from his evil way, that I may be moved to compassion from the evil which I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings.
4 And you shall say to them, Thus says Jehovah: 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 sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not listened);
6 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 Jehovah.
8 And it happened when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, You shall die the death!
9 Why have you prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be wasted, without inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah.
10 When the rulers of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the kings house to the house of Jehovah, and sat down in the entrance of the New Gate of Jehovahs house.
11 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the rulers and to all the people, saying, Sentence this man to death, for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the rulers and to all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.
13 Now therefore, make your ways and your doings good, and obey the voice of Jehovah your God. And Jehovah will show compassion regarding the evil that He has spoken against you.
14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand. Do with me as seems good and right to you.
15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon its inhabitants; for truly Jehovah has sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.
16 Then the rulers 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 Jehovah our God.
17 Then some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says Jehovah of Hosts: Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the house like the high places of a forest.
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah execute him to death? Did he not fear Jehovah, and entreat Jehovah, and Jehovah had compassion regarding the evil which He had spoken against them? So we are doing great evil against our souls.
20 And there was also a man who prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, 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 rulers, 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; Elnathan the son of Achbor, and men with him into Egypt.
23 And they brought Urijah out of Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and threw his dead body into the graves of the common people.
24 But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.