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

2Thus saith Jehovah: Stand in the court of the house of Jehovah, and speak to those who come from all the cities of Judah to worship in the house of Jehovah all the words which I have commanded thee to speak to them; abate not a word.

3If peradventure they will hearken and turn every one from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to do to them because of their evil doings.

4And thou shalt say to them, Thus saith Jehovah: 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 to you, rising early and sending, and ye have not hearkened,

6then will I make this house like Shiloh, and this city will I make a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah.

8And when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, and said, Thou shalt surely die!

9Why dost thou prophesy in the name of Jehovah, and say, This house shall be as Shiloh, and this city shall be made desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were assembled together against Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah.

10When the princes of Judah heard these things, they went up from the king's house to the house of Jehovah, and sat in the entrance of the new gate of the house of Jehovah.

11Then spake the priests and the prophets to 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.

12Then spake Jeremiah to all the princes and to all the people, saying: Jehovah hath sent me to prophesy against this house, and against this city, all the words which ye have heard.

13But now amend ye your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Jehovah, your God, and Jehovah will repent of the evil which he hath pronounced against you.

14And as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do to me as it seemeth good and right in your eyes.

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 its inhabitants; for of a truth Jehovah hath sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.

16Then said the princes and all the people to the priests and the prophets: This man is not worthy to die, for he hath spoken to us in the name of Jehovah, our God.

17Certain elders of the land also rose up, and spoke 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 Jehovah of hosts: Zion shall be ploughed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps of stones, and the mountain of the house [[of Jehovah]] as the heights of a forest.

19Did Hezekiah, king of Judah, and all Judah, put him to death? Did he not fear Jehovah, and beseech Jehovah, so that Jehovah repented of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Shall we then bring so great an evil upon ourselves?

20There was also another man that prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Urijah, the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah;

21and when Jehoiakim the king, and 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.

22But Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt,

23and they brought Urijah out of Egypt, and carried him to King Jehoiakim, 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 he should not be delivered into the hand of the people, to be put to death.