¹ In the beginning^◦ of the kingdom of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah^◦ king of Judah was this word from Jehovah, saying,

² Thus says Jehovah: Stand in the court of the house of Jehovah, and speak against all the cities of Judah, coming to worship in the house of Jehovah, all the words that I command thee to speak against^▵ them; diminish not a word.

³ Perhaps they will hearken, and turn·​·back each·​·man^◦ from his evil way, and I may repent of the evil, which I^▵ am reckoning to do to them on·​·account·​·of^◦ the evil of their actions.

⁴ And thou shalt say unto^▵ them, Thus says Jehovah: If you will not hearken to^▵ Me, to walk^◦ in My law, which I have given before you,

⁵ to hearken to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I^▵ sent unto^▵ you, both getting·​·up·​·early, and sending them, but you have not hearkened,

⁶ and I will put^◦ this house as Shiloh, and will put^◦ this city for a reviling to all the nations of the earth.

⁷ And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah^◦ speaking these words in the house of Jehovah.

⁸ And it was, when^◦ Jeremiah^◦ had completed speaking all that Jehovah had commanded him to speak to^▵ all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people caught·​·hold of him, saying, Dying thou shalt die.

⁹ Wherefore hast thou prophesied in the name of Jehovah, saying, This house shall be like^◦ Shiloh, and this city shall be wasted with none dwelling in it? And all the people were assembled against^▵ Jeremiah^◦ in the house of Jehovah.

¹⁰ And the princes of Judah heard these words, and they went·​·up from the house of the king to the house of Jehovah, and sat in the entrance of the new gate of Jehovah’s house.

¹¹ And the priests and the prophets said to^▵ the princes and to^▵ all the people, saying, The judgment of death is for this man^◦; for he has prophesied against^▵ this city, as^◦ you have heard with your ears.

¹² And Jeremiah^◦ said to^▵ all the princes and to^▵ all the people, saying, Jehovah sent me to prophesy to^▵ this house and to^▵ this city all the words that you have heard.

¹³ And now make· your ways and your actions ·better, and hearken to the voice of Jehovah your God; and Jehovah will repent of the evil that He has spoken against you.

¹⁴ And I^◦, behold, I^◦ am in your hand; do to me as is good and upright in your eyes.

¹⁵ Surely knowing you shall know, that if you^◦ put· me ·to·​·death, then you^◦ shall be putting^◦ innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on those that dwell·​·in her; for in truth Jehovah has sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

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

¹⁷ And men^◦ from the elders of the land rose·​·up, and said to^▵ all the assembly of the people, saying,

¹⁸ Micaiah^* the Morasthite was prophesying in the days of Hezekiah^◦ king of Judah, and said to^▵ all the people of Judah, saying, Thus says Jehovah of Armies: Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps^▵, and the mountain of the house as the high·​·places of a forest.

¹⁹ Did Hezekiah^◦ king of Judah and all Judah putting·​·to·​·death put· him ·to·​·death? Did he not fear Jehovah, and implore the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah repented of the evil which He had spoken against them? And we^◦ might do great evil against our souls.

²⁰ And there was also a man^◦ who prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Uriah^◦ the son of Shemaiah^◦ of Kiriath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according·​·to all the words of Jeremiah^◦.

²¹ And Jehoiakim the king, and all his mighty·​·men, and all the princes, heard his words, and the king sought to·​·put· him ·to·​·death; but Uriah^◦ heard it, and he feared and ran·​·away, and went·​·into Egypt.

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

²³ And they brought· Uriah^◦ ·out from Egypt, and brought him to^▵ Jehoiakim the king; and he smote him with the sword, and cast his carcass into^▵ the graves of the sons of the people.

²⁴ Surely 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.