26:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah1 at the beginning of the reign2 of Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah. 26:2 The Lord said, “Go and stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple.3 Speak out to all the people who are coming from the towns of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything I command you to tell them. Don’t leave out a single word! 26:3 Maybe they will pay heed and each of them will stop living the evil way they do.4 If they do that, then I will forgo destroying them5 as I had intended to do because of the wicked things they have been doing.6 26:4 Tell them that the Lord says,7 ‘You must obey me! You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws.8 26:5 You must pay heed to the exhortations of my servants the prophets. I have sent them to you over and over again.9 But you have not paid any heed to them. 26:6 If you do not obey me,10 then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh.11 And I will make this city an example to be used in curses by people from all the nations on the earth.’”
26:7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in the Lord’s temple. 26:8 Jeremiah had just barely finished saying all the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people. All at once some12 of the priests, the prophets, and the people grabbed him and shouted, “You deserve to die!13 26:9 How dare you claim the Lord’s authority to prophesy such things! How dare you claim his authority to prophesy that this temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will become an uninhabited ruin!”14 Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah.
26:10 However, some of the officials15 of Judah heard about what was happening16 and they rushed up to the Lord’s temple from the royal palace. They set up court17 at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s temple.18 26:11 Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said,19 “This man should be condemned to die20 because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so21 with your own ears.”
26:12 Then Jeremiah made his defense before all the officials and all the people. He said,22 “The Lord sent me to prophesy everything you have heard me say against this temple and against this city. 26:13 But correct the way you have been living and do what is right.23 Obey the Lord your God. If you do, the Lord will forgo destroying you as he threatened he would.24 26:14 As to my case, I am in your power.25 Do to me what you deem fair and proper. 26:15 But you should take careful note of this: If you put me to death, you will bring on yourselves and this city and those who live in it the guilt of murdering an innocent man. For the Lord has sent me to speak all this where you can hear it. That is the truth!”26
26:16 Then the officials and all the people rendered their verdict to the priests and the prophets. They said,27 “This man should not be condemned to die.28 For he has spoken to us under the authority of the Lord our God.”29 26:17 Then some of the elders of Judah30 stepped forward and spoke to all the people gathered there. They said, 26:18 “Micah from Moresheth31 prophesied during the time Hezekiah was king of Judah.32 He told all the people of Judah,
‘The Lord who rules over all33 says,
“Zion34 will become a plowed field.
Jerusalem35 will become a pile of rubble.
The temple mount will become a mere wooded ridge.”’36
26:19 King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah didn’t put him to death, did they? Didn’t Hezekiah show reverence for the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor?37 And didn’t38 the Lord forgo destroying them39 as he threatened he would? But we are on the verge of bringing great disaster on ourselves.”40
26:20 (Now there was another man41 who prophesied as the Lord’s representative42 against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim.43 26:21 When the king and all his bodyguards44 and officials heard what he was prophesying,45 the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear.46 26:22 However, King Jehoiakim sent some men to Egypt, including Elnathan son of Achbor,47 26:23 and they brought Uriah back from there.48 They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)49
26:24 However, Ahikam son of Shaphan50 used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people.51
Jeremiah Counsels Submission to Babylon