Jeremiah 26-30

New International Version

Jeremiah Threatened With Death

26 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim^(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: ²“This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard^(B) of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord.^(C) Tell^(D) them everything I command you; do not omit^(E) a word. ³Perhaps they will listen and each will turn^(F) from their evil ways. Then I will relent^(G) and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. ⁴Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen^(H) to me and follow my law,^(I) which I have set before you, ⁵and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened^(J)), ⁶then I will make this house like Shiloh^(K) and this city a curse^[a]^(L) among all the nations of the earth.’”

⁷The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. ⁸But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded^(M) him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized^(N) him and said, “You must die!^(O) ⁹Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?”^(P) And all the people crowded^(Q) around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

¹⁰When the officials^(R) of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate^(S) of the Lord’s house. ¹¹Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death^(T) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”^(U)

¹²Then Jeremiah said to all the officials^(V) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy^(W) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.^(X) ¹³Now reform^(Y) your ways and your actions and obey^(Z) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent^(AA) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. ¹⁴As for me, I am in your hands;^(AB) do with me whatever you think is good and right. ¹⁵Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood^(AC) on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words^(AD) in your hearing.”

¹⁶Then the officials^(AE) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!^(AF) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

¹⁷Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, ¹⁸“Micah^(AG) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“‘Zion^(AH) will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,^(AI)
the temple hill^(AJ) a mound overgrown with thickets.’^[b]^(AK)

¹⁹“Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah^(AL) fear the Lord and seek^(AM) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,^(AN) so that he did not bring the disaster^(AO) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster^(AP) on ourselves!”

²⁰(Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim^(AQ) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. ²¹When King Jehoiakim^(AR) and all his officers and officials^(AS) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.^(AT) But Uriah heard of it and fled^(AU) in fear to Egypt. ²²King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan^(AV) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. ²³They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword^(AW) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)^(AX)

²⁴Furthermore, Ahikam^(AY) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar

27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah^[c]^(AZ) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^(BA) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. ³Then send^(BB) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,^(BC) Tyre and Sidon^(BD) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: ⁵With my great power and outstretched arm^(BE) I made^(BF) the earth and its people and the animals^(BG) that are on it, and I give^(BH) it to anyone I please. ⁶Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant^(BI) Nebuchadnezzar^(BJ) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.^(BK) ⁷All nations will serve^(BL) him and his son and his grandson until the time^(BM) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate^(BN) him.

⁸“‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish^(BO) that nation with the sword,^(BP) famine^(BQ) and plague,^(BR) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. ⁹So do not listen to your prophets,^(BS) your diviners,^(BT) your interpreters of dreams,^(BU) your mediums^(BV) or your sorcerers^(BW) who tell you, ‘You will not serve^(BX) the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰They prophesy lies^(BY) to you that will only serve to remove^(BZ) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. ¹¹But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke^(CA) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live^(CB) there, declares the Lord.”’”

¹²I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke^(CC) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.^(CD) ¹³Why will you and your people die^(CE) by the sword, famine and plague^(CF) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴Do not listen^(CG) to the words of the prophets^(CH) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies^(CI) to you. ¹⁵‘I have not sent^(CJ) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.^(CK) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,^(CL) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”

¹⁶Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles^(CM) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. ¹⁷Do not listen^(CN) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.^(CO) Why should this city become a ruin? ¹⁸If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead^(CP) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. ¹⁹For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,^(CQ) the movable stands and the other articles^(CR) that are left in this city, ²⁰which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried^(CS) Jehoiachin^[d]^(CT) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— ²¹yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: ²²‘They will be taken^(CU) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day^(CV) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring^(CW) them back and restore them to this place.’”

The False Prophet Hananiah

28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah^(CX) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,^(CY) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: ²“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke^(CZ) of the king of Babylon. ³Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles^(DA) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. ⁴I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin^[e]^(DB) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”^(DC)

⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. ⁶He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.^(DD) ⁷Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: ⁸From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague^(DE) against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.^(DF)”

¹⁰Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke^(DG) off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, ¹¹and he said^(DH) before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

¹²After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ¹³“Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. ¹⁴This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke^(DI) on the necks of all these nations to make them serve^(DJ) Nebuchadnezzar^(DK) king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.^(DL)’”

¹⁵Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent^(DM) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.^(DN) ¹⁶Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.^(DO) This very year you are going to die,^(DP) because you have preached rebellion^(DQ) against the Lord.’”

¹⁷In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.^(DR)

A Letter to the Exiles

29 This is the text of the letter^(DS) that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.^(DT) ²(This was after King Jehoiachin^[f]^(DU) and the queen mother,^(DV) the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the artisans had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) ³He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:

⁴This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried^(DW) into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵“Build^(DX) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.^(DY) ⁷Also, seek^(DZ) the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray^(EA) to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” ⁸Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets^(EB) and diviners among you deceive^(EC) you. Do not listen to the dreams^(ED) you encourage them to have.^(EE) ⁹They are prophesying lies^(EF) to you in my name. I have not sent^(EG) them,” declares the Lord.

¹⁰This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years^(EH) are completed for Babylon, I will come to you^(EI) and fulfill my good promise^(EJ) to bring you back^(EK) to this place. ¹¹For I know the plans^(EL) I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper^(EM) you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.^(EN) ¹²Then you will call^(EO) on me and come and pray^(EP) to me, and I will listen^(EQ) to you. ¹³You will seek^(ER) me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.^(ES) ¹⁴I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back^(ET) from captivity.^[g] I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”^(EU)

¹⁵You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” ¹⁶but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— ¹⁷yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague^(EV) against them and I will make them like figs^(EW) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent^(EX) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse^[h]^(EY) and an object of horror,^(EZ) of scorn^(FA) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. ¹⁹For they have not listened to my words,”^(FB) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again^(FC) by my servants the prophets.^(FD) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.

²⁰Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent^(FE) away from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²¹This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies^(FF) to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. ²²Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned^(FG) in the fire.’ ²³For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery^(FH) with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know^(FI) it and am a witness^(FJ) to it,” declares the Lord.

Message to Shemaiah

²⁴Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite, ²⁵“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah^(FK) son of Maaseiah, and to all the other priests. You said to Zephaniah, ²⁶‘The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada to be in charge of the house of the Lord; you should put any maniac^(FL) who acts like a prophet into the stocks^(FM) and neck-irons. ²⁷So why have you not reprimanded Jeremiah from Anathoth, who poses as a prophet among you? ²⁸He has sent this message^(FN) to us in Babylon: It will be a long time.^(FO) Therefore build^(FP) houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.’”

²⁹Zephaniah^(FQ) the priest, however, read the letter to Jeremiah the prophet. ³⁰Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ³¹“Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah^(FR) the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send^(FS) him, and has persuaded you to trust in lies, ³²this is what the Lord says: I will surely punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants.^(FT) He will have no one left among this people, nor will he see the good^(FU) things I will do for my people, declares the Lord, because he has preached rebellion^(FV) against me.’”

Restoration of Israel

30 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write^(FW) in a book all the words I have spoken to you. ³The days^(FX) are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring^(FY) my people Israel and Judah back from captivity^[i] and restore^(FZ) them to the land I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.”

⁴These are the words the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah: ⁵“This is what the Lord says:

“‘Cries of fear^(GA) are heard—
    terror, not peace.
⁶Ask and see:
    Can a man bear children?
Then why do I see every strong man
    with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor,^(GB)
    every face turned deathly pale?^(GC)
⁷How awful that day^(GD) will be!
    No other will be like it.
It will be a time of trouble^(GE) for Jacob,
    but he will be saved^(GF) out of it.

⁸“‘In that day,’ declares the Lord Almighty,
    ‘I will break the yoke^(GG) off their necks
and will tear off their bonds;^(GH)
    no longer will foreigners enslave them.^(GI)
⁹Instead, they will serve the Lord their God
    and David^(GJ) their king,^(GK)
    whom I will raise up for them.

¹⁰“‘So do not be afraid,^(GL) Jacob my servant;^(GM)
    do not be dismayed, Israel,’
declares the Lord.
‘I will surely save^(GN) you out of a distant place,
    your descendants from the land of their exile.
Jacob will again have peace and security,^(GO)
    and no one will make him afraid.^(GP)
¹¹I am with you^(GQ) and will save you,’
    declares the Lord.
‘Though I completely destroy all the nations
    among which I scatter you,
    I will not completely destroy^(GR) you.
I will discipline^(GS) you but only in due measure;
    I will not let you go entirely unpunished.’^(GT)

¹²“This is what the Lord says:

“‘Your wound^(GU) is incurable,
    your injury beyond healing.^(GV)
¹³There is no one to plead your cause,^(GW)
    no remedy for your sore,
    no healing^(GX) for you.
¹⁴All your allies^(GY) have forgotten you;
    they care nothing for you.
I have struck you as an enemy^(GZ) would
    and punished you as would the cruel,^(HA)
because your guilt is so great
    and your sins^(HB) so many.
¹⁵Why do you cry out over your wound,
    your pain that has no cure?^(HC)
Because of your great guilt and many sins
    I have done these things to you.^(HD)

¹⁶“‘But all who devour^(HE) you will be devoured;
    all your enemies will go into exile.^(HF)
Those who plunder^(HG) you will be plundered;
    all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
¹⁷But I will restore you to health
    and heal^(HH) your wounds,’
declares the Lord,
‘because you are called an outcast,^(HI)
    Zion for whom no one cares.’^(HJ)

¹⁸“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I will restore the fortunes^(HK) of Jacob’s tents^(HL)
    and have compassion^(HM) on his dwellings;
the city will be rebuilt^(HN) on her ruins,
    and the palace will stand in its proper place.
¹⁹From them will come songs^(HO) of thanksgiving^(HP)
    and the sound of rejoicing.^(HQ)
I will add to their numbers,^(HR)
    and they will not be decreased;
I will bring them honor,^(HS)
    and they will not be disdained.
²⁰Their children^(HT) will be as in days of old,
    and their community will be established^(HU) before me;
    I will punish^(HV) all who oppress them.
²¹Their leader^(HW) will be one of their own;
    their ruler will arise from among them.^(HX)
I will bring him near^(HY) and he will come close to me—
    for who is he who will devote himself
    to be close to me?’
declares the Lord.
²²“‘So you will be my people,^(HZ)
    and I will be your God.^(IA)’”

²³See, the storm^(IB) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a driving wind swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
²⁴The fierce anger^(IC) of the Lord will not turn back^(ID)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand^(IE) this.

Footnotes

Jeremiah 26:6 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12
Jeremiah 27:1 A few Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also 27:3,12 and 28:1); most Hebrew manuscripts Jehoiakim (Most Septuagint manuscripts do not have this verse.)
Jeremiah 27:20 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
Jeremiah 29:2 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
Jeremiah 29:14 Or will restore your fortunes
Jeremiah 29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed.
Jeremiah 30:3 Or will restore the fortunes of my people Israel and Judah