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: keep not a word back,
3If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the plague, which I have determined to bring upon them because of the wickedness of their works.
4And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, If ye will not hear me to walk in my Laws, which I have set before you,
5And to hear the words of my servants the Prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, and will not obey them,
6Then will I make this House like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all nations of the earth.
7So the Priests, and the Prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the House of the Lord.
8Now when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak unto all the people, then the Priests, and the Prophets, and all the people took him, and said, Thou shalt die the death.
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.
10And when the Princes of Judah heard of these things, they came up from the king’s house into 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.
12Then spake Jeremiah unto all the Princes and to all the people, saying, The Lord hath sent me to prophesy against this House and against this city all the things that ye have heard.
13Therefore now amend your ways, and your works, and hear the voice of the Lord your God, that the Lord may repent him of the plague, that he hath pronounced against you.
14As for me, behold, I am in your hands: do with me as ye think good and right:
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.
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 unto 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 Morashite 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 be an heap, and the mountain of the house shall be as the high places of the forest.
19Did Hezekiah King of Judah, and all Judah put him to death? did he not fear the Lord, and prayed before the Lord, and the Lord repented him of the plague, that 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, one Urijah the son of Shemaiah, of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city, and against this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah.
21Now when Jehoiakim the king with all his men of power, and all the princes heard his words, the King sought to slay him. But when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went into Egypt.
22Then Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, even Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain with him into Egypt.
23And they fetched 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 children of the people.
24But 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.