Third Millennium Bible TMB
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, came this word from the LORD, saying,
1
The LORD spoke his word when Judah's King Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, began to rule. He said,
2 "Thus saith the LORD: `Stand in the court of the LORD'S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD'S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.
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"This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the LORD's temple, and speak to all the people who come from the cities of Judah to worship in the LORD's temple. Tell them everything that I command you to tell them. Don't leave out a single word.
3 It may so be they will hearken and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent Me of the evil which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.'
3
Maybe they'll listen, and they'll turn from their evil ways. Then I'll change my plan about the disaster I intend to bring on them because of the evil they have done."
4 And thou shalt say unto them, `Thus saith the LORD: If ye will not hearken to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you,
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The LORD added, "Also say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: Suppose you don't listen to me and don't follow my teachings that I set in front of you.
5 to hearken to the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent unto you, both rising up early and sending them, but ye have not hearkened--
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Suppose you don't listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent to you again and again, even though you didn't listen.
6 then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.'"
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Then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. I will turn this city into something that will be cursed by all the nations on earth.'"
7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.
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The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these things in the LORD's temple.
8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, "Thou shalt surely die!
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But as soon as Jeremiah finished saying everything that the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets, and all the people grabbed him and said, "You must die!
9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, `This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant'?" And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
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Why do you prophesy in the LORD's name that this temple will be like Shiloh and this city will become a pile of rubble with no one living here?" Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the LORD's temple.
10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the LORD'S house.
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When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went from the king's palace to the LORD's temple. They sat at the entrance of New Gate to the LORD's [temple].
11 Then spoke the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, "This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears."
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Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man is condemned to die because he prophesied against this city as you yourselves have heard."
12 Then spoke Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.
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Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people, "The LORD sent me to prophesy everything that you have heard me say against this temple and against this city.
13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent of the evil that He hath pronounced against you.
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Now, change your ways and what you are doing, and listen to the LORD your God. Then the LORD will change his plan about the disaster that he intends to bring on you.
14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.
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"My life is in your hands. Do with me whatever you think is good and right.
15 But know ye for certain that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof; for truly the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears."
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But know for certain that if you put me to death, you, this city, and the people living in it will be guilty of killing an innocent person. The LORD has certainly sent me to speak all these things to you."
16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets, "This man is not worthy to die, for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God!"
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Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, "This man should not be condemned to die. He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."
17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
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Then some of the leaders in the land got up and said to the entire crowd,
18 "Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, `Thus saith the LORD of hosts: "`Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.'
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"Micah from Moresheth prophesied at the time of Judah's King Hezekiah and said to all the people of Judah, 'This is what the LORD of Armies says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple mountain will become a worship site covered with trees.'
19 "Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? Did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented of the evil which He had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls."
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Did Judah's King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah put Micah to death? No! Hezekiah feared the LORD and sought the LORD's favor. So the LORD changed his plan about the disaster he intended to bring on them. But we are about to bring a bigger disaster on ourselves."
20 And there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.
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There was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD. His name was Uriah, son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath Jearim. He prophesied against this city and this land as Jeremiah did.
21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went into Egypt.
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When King Jehoiakim and all his personal troops and officials heard what Uriah said, the king wanted to put him to death. But Uriah heard about it and fled in fear to Egypt.
22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor and certain men with him into Egypt.
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King Jehoiakim sent soldiers to Egypt: Elnathan (son of Achbor) and other soldiers along with him.
23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
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They brought Uriah from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim. The king executed Uriah and threw his body into the burial ground for the common people.
24 Nevertheless 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.
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Ahikam, son of Shaphan, supported Jeremiah. So Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.