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 Yet when Jeremiah finished speaking everything that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then 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)in ruins, without inhabitant’?” And ^(D)all the people gathered to Jeremiah at 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 at 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, just as you have heard with your own ears!”

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 then, ^(K)reform your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord your God; and the Lord will relent of the disaster 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 its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words ^[a]so that you hear them.”

Jeremiah Is Spared

¹⁶ Then the officials and all the people ^(N)said to the priests and 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 used to prophesy in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘This is what the Lord of armies has said:

¹⁹ Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not ^(T)fear the Lord and plead for the favor of the Lord, and ^(U)the Lord relented of the disaster which He had pronounced against them? But we are ^(V)committing a great evil against our own lives!”