Jeremiah 26

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiahfrom Yahweh,	1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, this message came from the LORD:
2 'Yahweh says this, "Stand in the court of the Temple of Yahweh. To al the people from the towns ofJudah who come to worship in the Temple of Yahweh you wil say everything I have ordered you to say, notomitting one syllable.	2 Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the house of the LORD and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD; whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
3 Perhaps they wil listen and each turn from his evil way: if so, I shal relent and not bring the disaster onthem which I intend because of their misdeeds."	3 Perhaps they will listen and turn back, each from his evil way, so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them for their evil deeds.
4 Say to them, "Yahweh says this: If you will not listen to me and fol ow my Law which I have given you,	4 Say to them: Thus says the LORD: If you disobey me, not living according to the law I placed before you
5 and pay attention to the words of my servants the prophets whom I have never tired of sending to you,although you never have paid attention,	5 and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
6 I shal treat this Temple as I treated Shiloh, and make this city a curse for al the nations of the world." '	6 I will treat this house like Shiloh, and make this the city which all the nations of the earth shall refer to when cursing another.
7 The priests and prophets and al the people heard Jeremiah say these words in the Temple of Yahweh.	7 Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
8 When Jeremiah had finished saying everything that Yahweh had ordered him to say to al the people,the priests and prophets and al the people seized hold of him and said, 'You will die for this!	8 When Jeremiah finished speaking all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people, the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying, "You must be put to death!
9 Why have you made this prophecy in Yahweh's name, "This Temple will become like Shiloh, and thiscity become an uninhabited ruin"?' And the people all crowded in on Jeremiah in the Temple of Yahweh.	9 Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD: 'This house shall be like Shiloh,' and 'This city shall be desolate and deserted'?" And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
10 Hearing of this, the chief men of Judah came up from the royal palace to the Temple of Yahweh andtook their seats at the entry of the New Gate of the Temple of Yahweh.	10 When the princes of Judah were informed of these things, they came up from the king's palace to the house of the LORD and held court at the New Gate of the house of the LORD.
11 The priests and prophets then said to the chief men and all the people, 'This man deserves to die,since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.'	11 The priests and prophets said to the princes and to all the people, "This man deserves death; he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."
12 Jeremiah, however, replied to all the chief men and all the people as fol ows, 'Yahweh himself sentme to prophesy against this Temple and this city al the things you have heard.	12 Jeremiah gave this answer to the princes and all the people: "It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and city all that you have heard.
13 So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and Yahweh wilrelent about the disaster that he has decreed for you.	13 Now, therefore, reform your ways and your deeds; listen to the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD will repent of the evil with which he threatens you.
14 For myself, I am, as you see, in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me.	14 As for me, I am in your hands; do with me what you think good and right.
15 But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you wil be bringing innocent blood on yourselves, onthis city and on its inhabitants, since Yahweh has truly sent me to you to say al this for you to hear.'	15 But mark well: if you put me to death, it is innocent blood you bring on yourselves, on this city and its citizens. For in truth it was the LORD who sent me to you, to speak all these things for you to hear."
16 The chief men and al the people then said to the priests and prophets, 'This man does not deserve todie: he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God.'	16 Thereupon the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man does not deserve death; it is in the name of the LORD, our God, that he speaks to us."
17 And some of the country's elders rose to address al the assembled people.	17 At this, some of the elders of the land came forward and said to all the people assembled,
18 'Micah of Moresheth,' they said, 'who prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, had this tosay to all the people of Judah, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Zion wil become ploughland, Jerusalem a heap ofrubble and the Temple Mount a wooded height."	18 "Micah of Moresheth used to prophesy in the days of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and he told all the people of Judah: Thus says the LORD of hosts: Zion shall become a plowed field, Jerusalem a heap of ruins, and the temple mount a forest ridge.
19 'Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death for this? Did they not rather, fearingYahweh, plead with him, to such effect that Yahweh relented about the disaster which he had decreed for them?Are we now to burden our souls with such a crime?'	19 Did Hezekiah, king of Judah, and all Judah condemn him to death? Did they not rather fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, so that he repented of the evil with which he had threatened them? But we are on the point of committing this great evil to our own undoing."
20 There was another man, too, who used to prophesy in Yahweh's name, Uriah son of Shemaiah, fromKiriath-Jearim. He prophesied exactly the same things against this city and this country as Jeremiah.	20 There was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah, son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath-jearim; he prophesied the same things against this city and land as Jeremiah did.
21 When King Jehoiakim with all his officers and all the chief men heard what he said, the king wasdetermined to put him to death. On hearing this, Uriah took fright and, fleeing, escaped to Egypt.	21 When King Jehoiakim and all his officers and princes were informed of his words, the king sought to kill him. But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.
22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Achbor to Egypt with others,	22 Thereupon King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan, son of Achbor, and others with him into Egypt
23 who brought Uriah back from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him put to the swordand his body thrown into the common burial ground.	23 to bring Uriah back to the king, who had him slain by the sword and his corpse cast into the common grave.
24 But Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan, so he was not handed over to the people tobe put to death.	24 But Ahikam, son of Shaphan, protected Jeremiah, so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.