Jeremiah Threatened with Death
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1In the beginning of the reign of 2Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD:
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"Thus says the LORD: 3Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the LORD 4all the words that I command you to speak to them; 5do not hold back a word.
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6It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, 7that I may relent of the disaster that I intend to do to them 8because of their evil deeds.
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You shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: 9If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you,
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10and to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you 11urgently, 12though you have not listened,
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then I will make this house 13like Shiloh, and I will make this city 14a curse for all the nations of the earth.'"
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15The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.
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And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then 16the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die!
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Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, 'This house shall be 17like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, 18without inhabitant'?" And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
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When 19the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of the LORD and took their seat in the 20entry of the New Gate of the house of the LORD.
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Then 21the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, 22"This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears."
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Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard.
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Now therefore 23mend your ways and your deeds, 24and obey the voice of the LORD your God, 25and the LORD will relent of the disaster that he has pronounced against you.
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Only know for certain that if you put me to death, 27you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears."
Jeremiah Spared from Death
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28Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, 29"This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."
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"Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, 32"'Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.'
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Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? 33Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favor of the LORD, 34and did not the LORD relent of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? 35But we are about to bring great disaster upon ourselves."
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There was another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah the son of Shemaiah from 36Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words like those of Jeremiah.
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And when 37King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt.
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Then 38King Jehoiakim sent to Egypt certain men, 39Elnathan the son of 40Achbor and others with him,
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)