A Plot to Murder Jeremiah

⁷ The ^(A)priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. ⁸ 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! ⁹ 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,

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.”