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Plot to Murder Jeremiah

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

10 When the (E)officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of Yahweh and sat in the (F)entrance of the New Gate of the house of Yahweh. 11 Then the priests and the prophets (G)spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, “A (H)judgment of death 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)Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13 So now, (K)make good your ways and your deeds and listen to the voice of Yahweh your God; and Yahweh will [a]relent of the evil demise which He has spoken against you. 14 But as for me, behold, (L)I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your eyes. 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 Yahweh has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

Jeremiah Spared from Death

16 Then the officials and all the people (N)said to the priests and to the prophets, “No (O)judgment of death for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh 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 Yahweh of hosts has said,

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

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not (T)fear Yahweh and entreat the favor of Yahweh, and (U)Yahweh [d]relented of the evil demise which He had spoken against them? But we are (V)committing a great evil against ourselves.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:13 Or regret, cf. 1 Sam 15:11, 29, 35
  2. Jeremiah 26:18 Lit Micaiah the Morasthite
  3. Jeremiah 26:18 Or a wooded height
  4. Jeremiah 26:19 Or regretted

The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened as Jeremiah spoke these words at the House of the Lord. When Jeremiah had finished saying everything the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people, then the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him and said, “You must die! Why do you prophesy in the name of the Lord that this house will be like Shiloh and that this city will be desolate with no one living here?” All the people crowded around Jeremiah in the House of the Lord.

10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they came up from the king’s house to the House of the Lord and sat in the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.

11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death because he has been prophesying against this city, as you heard with your own ears.”

12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and to all the people, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the things that you have heard. 13 Now reform your ways and your actions, and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring about the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 But as for me, look, I am in your hands. Do with me whatever seems good and right in your eyes. 15 But you can be certain of this. If you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live here, for it is true that the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

16 Then the officials and the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. He has spoken in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Some of the elders of the land got up and spoke to all the assembled people.

18 Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He proclaimed this to all the people of Judah.

This is what the Lord of Armies says.
Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a ruin,
and the temple mount will be a high place overgrown with trees.[a]

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone at all in Judah put him to death? Didn’t he fear the Lord and seek his favor? And didn’t the Lord relent from the disaster he had pronounced against them? We would be committing a great evil against our own souls[b] that way!

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