Jeremiah Saved From Death

1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

2Thus says the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command you to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

3It may be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

4And you shall say unto them, Thus says the LORD; If you will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

5To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but you have not hearkened;

6Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

8Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, You shall surely die.

9Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

10When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entrance of the new gate of the LORD'S house.

11Then spoke the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.

12Then spoke Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard.

13Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will relent concerning the evil that he has pronounced against you.

14As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seems good and right unto you.

15But know you for certain, that if you put me to death, you shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon its inhabitants: for of a truth the LORD has sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

16Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.

17Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

18Micah the Moresthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD relented himself of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

20And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

21And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Uriah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;

22And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

23And they brought forth Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

24Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.