Jeremiah prophesies the destruction of the people—For this he is arraigned and tried and then acquitted.

1 - In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the L ORD, saying,

2 - Thus saith the L ORD ; Stand in the court of the L ORD ’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the L ORD ’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

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

4 - And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the L ORD ; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

5 - To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

6 - Then will I 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 the L ORD.

8 - ¶ Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the L ORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

9 - Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the L ORD, 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 L ORD.

10 - ¶ When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the L ORD, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the L ORD ’s house.

11 - Then 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.

12 - ¶ Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The L ORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

13 - Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the L ORD your God; and the L ORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

14 - As for me, behold, I am in your hand : do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

15 - But 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 L ORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

16 - ¶ Then 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 to us in the name of the L ORD our God.

17 - Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

18 - Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the L ORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

19 - Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the L ORD, and besought the L ORD, and the L ORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

20 - And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the L ORD, 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 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;

22 - And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

23 - And they fetched forth 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 common people.

24 - Nevertheless 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.