So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You will surely die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be (A)desolate, without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, [a]“This man deserves to (B)die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard. 13 Now therefore, (C)amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, here (D)I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and [b]proper to you. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

16 So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 (E)Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: 18 (F)“Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:

(G)“Zion shall be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem shall become (H)heaps of ruins,
And the mountain of the [c]temple
Like the [d]bare hills of the forest.” ’

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? (I)Did he not fear the Lord and (J)seek the Lord’s favor? And the Lord (K)relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. (L)But we are doing great evil against ourselves.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 26:11 Lit. A judgment of death to this man
  2. Jeremiah 26:14 right
  3. Jeremiah 26:18 Lit. house
  4. Jeremiah 26:18 Lit. high places

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