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Jeremiah 26
Easy-to-Read Version
Jeremiah 26
Easy-to-Read Version
Jeremiah’s Lesson at the Temple
26 This message came from the Lord during the first year that Jehoiakim[a] son of Josiah was king of Judah. 2 The Lord said, “Jeremiah, stand in the Temple yard of the Lord. Give this message to all the people of Judah who are coming to worship at the Temple of the Lord. Tell them everything that I tell you to speak. Don’t leave out any part of my message. 3 Maybe they will listen and obey my message. Maybe they will stop living such evil lives. If they change, I will change my mind about my plans to punish them. I am planning this punishment because of the many evil things they have done. 4 You will say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I gave my teachings to you. You must obey me and follow my teachings. 5 You must listen to what my servants say to you. The prophets are my servants. I have sent my prophets to you again and again, but you did not listen to them. 6 If you don’t obey me, I will make my Temple in Jerusalem just like my Holy Tent at Shiloh.[b] People all over the world will think of Jerusalem when they ask for bad things to happen to other cities.’”
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say all these words at the Lord’s Temple. 8 Jeremiah finished speaking everything the Lord had commanded him to say to the people. Then the priests, the prophets, and all the people grabbed Jeremiah. They said, “You will die for saying such terrible things! 9 How dare you say such a thing in the name of the Lord! How dare you say that this Temple will be destroyed like the one at Shiloh! How dare you say that Jerusalem will become a desert with no one living in it!” All the people gathered around Jeremiah in the Temple of the Lord.
10 Now the rulers of Judah heard about everything that was happening. So they came out of the king’s palace. They went up to the Lord’s Temple. They took their places at the entrance of the New Gate. The New Gate is a gate leading to the Lord’s Temple. 11 Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the rulers and all the other people. They said, “Jeremiah should be killed. He said bad things about Jerusalem. You heard him say those things.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the rulers of Judah and all the other people. He said, “The Lord sent me to say these things about this Temple and this city. Everything that you have heard is from the Lord. 13 You people, change your lives! You must start doing good! You must obey the Lord your God. If you do that, he will change his mind. He will not do the bad things he told you about. 14 As for me, I am in your power. Do to me what you think is good and right. 15 But if you kill me, be sure of one thing. You will be guilty of killing an innocent person. You will make this city and everyone living in it guilty too. The Lord really did send me to you. The message you heard really is from the Lord.”
16 Then the rulers and all the people spoke. They said to the priests and the prophets, “Jeremiah must not be killed. What he told us comes from the Lord our God.”
17 Then some of the elders stood up and spoke to all the people. 18 They said, “Micah the prophet was from the city of Moresheth. He was a prophet during the time that Hezekiah was king of Judah. Micah said this to all the people of Judah: ‘This is what the Lord All-Powerful says:
Zion will be destroyed.
It will become a plowed field.
Jerusalem will become a pile of rocks.
Temple Mount will be an empty hill[c] overgrown with bushes.’ (A)
19 “King Hezekiah of Judah and the people of Judah did not kill Micah. You know that Hezekiah respected the Lord and wanted to please him. So the Lord changed his mind and didn’t do the bad things to Judah that he said he would do. If we hurt Jeremiah, we will bring many troubles on ourselves. And those troubles will be our own fault.”
20 In the past there was another man who spoke the Lord’s message. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from the city of Kiriath Jearim. Uriah said the same things against this city and this land that Jeremiah did. 21 King Jehoiakim, his army officers, and the leaders of Judah heard Uriah and became angry. King Jehoiakim wanted to kill Uriah, but Uriah heard about it. Uriah was afraid, so he escaped to the land of Egypt. 22 But King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor and some other men to Egypt. 23 They brought Uriah from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim. Jehoiakim ordered Uriah to be killed with a sword. Uriah’s body was thrown into the burial place where the poor are buried.
24 There was an important man named Ahikam son of Shaphan who supported Jeremiah. He kept Jeremiah from being killed by the priests and prophets.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 26:1 the first year … Jehoiakim This was 609 B.C.
- Jeremiah 26:6 my Holy Tent at Shiloh The Holy Place at Shiloh was probably destroyed during the time of Samuel. See Jer. 7 and 1 Sam. 4.
- Jeremiah 26:18 empty hill Or “high place,” a term usually used for local shrines (places for worship) where people often worshiped idols.
Jeremiah 26
New International Version
Jeremiah 26
New International Version
Jeremiah Threatened With Death
26 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard(B) of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord.(C) Tell(D) them everything I command you; do not omit(E) a word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn(F) from their evil ways. Then I will relent(G) and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen(H) to me and follow my law,(I) which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened(J)), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh(K) and this city a curse[a](L) among all the nations of the earth.’”
7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. 8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded(M) him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized(N) him and said, “You must die!(O) 9 Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?”(P) And all the people crowded(Q) around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials(R) of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate(S) of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death(T) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”(U)
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials(V) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy(W) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.(X) 13 Now reform(Y) your ways and your actions and obey(Z) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent(AA) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands;(AB) do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood(AC) on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words(AD) in your hearing.”
16 Then the officials(AE) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(AF) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(AG) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“‘Zion(AH) will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(AI)
the temple hill(AJ) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[b](AK)
19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(AL) fear the Lord and seek(AM) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(AN) so that he did not bring the disaster(AO) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(AP) on ourselves!”
20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim(AQ) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim(AR) and all his officers and officials(AS) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.(AT) But Uriah heard of it and fled(AU) in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan(AV) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword(AW) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)(AX)
24 Furthermore, Ahikam(AY) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 26:6 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
- Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12
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