Warning to the Cities of Judah

1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, hath this word been from Jehovah, saying: 2‘Thus said Jehovah, Stand thou in the court of the house of Jehovah, and thou hast spoken unto all [those of] the cities of Judah who are coming in to bow themselves in the house of Jehovah, all the words that I have commanded thee to speak unto them, thou dost not diminish a word. 3If so be they hearken, and turn back each from his evil way, then I have repented concerning the evil that I am thinking of doing to them, because of the evil of their doings. 4‘And thou hast said unto them: Thus said Jehovah, If ye do not hearken unto Me, to walk in My law, that I set before you, 5To hearken to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I am sending unto you, yea, rising early and sending, and ye have not hearkened, 6Then I have given up this house as Shiloh, and this city I give up for a reviling to all nations of the earth.’

The Plot to Murder Jeremiah

7And the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, hear Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of Jehovah, 8And it cometh to pass, at the completion of Jeremiah’s speaking all that Jehovah hath commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests, and the prophets, and all the people catch him, saying, Thou dost surely die, 9Wherefore hast thou prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, ‘As Shiloh this house shall be, and this city is wasted, without inhabitant?’ and all the people are assembled unto Jeremiah in the house of Jehovah.

10And the heads of Judah hear these things, and they go up from the house of the king [to] the house of Jehovah, and sit in the opening of the new gate of Jehovah. 11And the priests and the prophets speak unto the heads, and unto all the people, saying, ‘Judgment of death [is] for this man, for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.’

12And Jeremiah speaketh unto all the heads, and unto all the people, saying, ‘Jehovah sent me to prophesy concerning this house, and concerning this city, all the words that ye have heard; 13And now, amend your ways, and your doings, and hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God, and Jehovah doth repent concerning the evil that He hath spoken against you. 14‘And I, lo, I [am] in your hand, do to me as is good and as is right in your eyes; 15Only, know ye certainly, that if ye are putting me to death, surely innocent blood ye are putting on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly hath Jehovah sent me unto you to speak in your ears all these words.’

Jeremiah Spared from Death

16And the heads and all the people say unto the priests and unto the prophets, ‘There is not for this man a judgment of death, for in the name of Jehovah our God he hath spoken unto us.’ 17And certain of the elders of the land rise up, and speak unto all the assembly of the people, saying,

18‘Micah the Morashtite hath been prophesying in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and he saith unto all the people of Judah, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts: Zion is a plowed field, and Jerusalem is heaps, And the mountain of the house is for high places of a forest.

19‘Put him at all to death did Hezekiah king of Judah, and all Judah? Did he not fear Jehovah? yea, he appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah repenteth concerning the evil that He spake against them; and we are doing great evil against our souls.

20‘And also there hath been a man prophesying in the name of Jehovah, Urijah son of Shemaiah, of Kirjath-Jearim, and he prophesieth against this city, and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah, 21And the king Jehoiakim, and all his mighty ones, and all the heads, hear his words, and the king seeketh to put him to death, and Urijah heareth, and feareth, and fleeth, and goeth in to Egypt. 22And the king Jehoiakim sendeth men to Egypt — Elnathan son of Achbor, and men with him unto Egypt — 23And they bring out Urijah from Egypt, and bring him in unto the king Jehoiakim, and he smiteth him with a sword, and casteth his corpse unto the graves of the sons of the people.’

24Only, the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan hath been with Jeremiah so as not to give him up into the hand of the people to put him to death.