1In the beginning of the reign of Yehoyaqim the son of Yoshiyahu, the sovereign of Yehuḏah, this word came from יהוה, saying,

2“Thus said יהוה, ‘Stand in the courtyard of the House of יהוה, and speak to all the cities of Yehuḏah, which come to bow themselves in the House of יהוה, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.

3‘If so be that they listen and each turn from his evil way, then I shall repent of the evil that I plan to do to them, because of the evil of their deeds.’

4“And you shall say to them, ‘Thus said יהוה, “If you do not listen to Me, to walk in My Torah which I set before you,

5to listen to the words of My servants the prophets I am sending you, even rising up early and sending them – though you have not listened –

6then I shall make this house like Shiloh, and make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.” ’ ”

7And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Yirmeyahu speaking these words in the House of יהוה.

8And it came to be, when Yirmeyahu had ended speaking all that יהוה had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You shall certainly die!

9“Why have you prophesied in the Name of יהוה, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city be dried up, without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Yirmeyahu in the House of יהוה.

10And the heads of Yehuḏah heard this, and they came up from the sovereign’s house to the House of יהוה and sat down in the entrance of the new gate of the House of יהוה.

11And the priests and the prophets spoke to the heads and all the people, saying, “A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”

12And Yirmeyahu spoke to all the heads and all the people, saying, “יהוה sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words you heard.

13“And now, make good your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of יהוה your Elohim, then יהוה shall relent concerning the evil He has pronounced against you.

14“And I, look I am in your hand. Do with me as seems good and right to you.

15“But know for certain that if you put me to death, you are bringing innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city, and on its inhabitants. For truly יהוה has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

16Then the heads and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “No death sentence for this man. For he has spoken to us in the Name of יהוה our Elohim.”

17And some of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,

18“Miḵayah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Ḥizqiyahu the sovereign of Yehuḏah, and he spoke to all the people of Yehuḏah, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה of hosts, “Tsiyon shall become a ploughed field, and Yerushalayim be heaps, and the mountain of the House like the bare hills of the forest.” ’

19“Did Ḥizqiyahu sovereign of Yehuḏah and all Yehuḏah indeed put him to death? Did he not fear יהוה and seek the favour of יהוה? And the Master relented concerning the evil which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves.”

20There was however a man who prophesied in the Name of יהוה, Uriyahu the son of Shemayahu of Qiryath Ye‛arim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Yirmeyahu.

21And when Yehoyaqim the sovereign, with all his mighty men and all the heads, heard his words, the sovereign sought to put him to death. But Uriyahu heard of it, and was afraid and fled, and went to Mitsrayim.

22Then Yehoyaqim the sovereign sent men to Mitsrayim: Elnathan the son of Aḵbor, and some men who went with him to Mitsrayim.

23And they brought Uriyahu from Mitsrayim and brought him to Yehoyaqim the sovereign, who smote him with the sword and threw his dead body into the graves of the common people.

24However, the hand of Aḥiqam son of Shaphan was with Yirmeyahu, so as not to give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.