A Plot to Murder Jeremiah

The (A)priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “(B)You must die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh and this city will be (C)desolate, without inhabitant’?” And (D)all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 When the (E)officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat in the (F)entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets (G)spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A (H)death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied (I)against this city as you have heard in your hearing.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and to all the people, saying, “(J)The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13 Now therefore (K)amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will [a]change His mind about the misfortune which He has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, behold, (L)I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring (M)innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

Jeremiah Is Spared

16 Then the officials and all the people (N)said to the priests and to the prophets, “No (O)death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.” 17 Then (P)some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying, 18 [b](Q)Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus the Lord of hosts has said,

(R)Zion will be plowed as a field,
And Jerusalem will become ruins,
And the (S)mountain of the house as the [c]high places of a forest.”’

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not (T)fear the Lord and entreat the favor of the Lord, and (U)the Lord [d]changed His mind about the misfortune which He had pronounced against them? But we are (V)committing a great evil against ourselves.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:13 Lit be sorry for
  2. Jeremiah 26:18 Lit Micaiah the Morasthite
  3. Jeremiah 26:18 Or a wooded height
  4. Jeremiah 26:19 Lit was sorry for