Jeremías 26:16-24

16 Y dijeron los príncipes y todo el pueblo á los sacerdotes y profetas. No ha incurrido este hombre en pena de muerte, porque en nombre de Jehová nuestro Dios nos ha hablado.

17 Entonces se levantaron ciertos de los ancianos de la tierra, y hablaron á toda la junta del pueblo, diciendo:

18 Miqueas de Morasti profetizó en tiempo de Ezechîas rey de Judá, diciendo: Así ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos: Sión será arada como campo, y Jerusalem vendrá á ser montones, y el monte del templo en cumbres de bosque.

19 ¿Matáronlo luego Ezechîas rey de Judá y todo Judá? ¿no temió á Jehová, y oró en presencia de Jehová, y Jehová se arrepintió del mal que había hablado contra ellos? ¿Haremos pues nosotros tan grande mal contra nuestras almas?

20 Hubo también un hombre que profetizaba en nombre de Jehová, Urías, hijo de Semaías de Chîriath-jearim, el cual profetizó contra esta ciudad y contra esta tierra, conforme á todas las palabras de Jeremías:

21 Y oyó sus palabras el rey Joacim, y todos sus grandes, y todos sus príncipes, y el rey procuró de matarle; lo cual entendiendo Urías, tuvo temor, y huyó, y metióse en Egipto:

22 Y el rey Joacim envió hombres á Egipto, á Elnathán hijo de Acbor, y otros hombres con él, á Egipto;

23 Los cuales sacaron á Urías de Egipto, y lo trajeron al rey Joacim, é hiriólo á cuchillo, y echó su cuerpo en los sepulcros del vulgo.

24 La mano empero de Ahicam hijo de Saphán era con Jeremías, porque no lo entregasen en las manos del pueblo para matarlo.

Jeremías 26:16-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 26

This chapter gives an account of Jeremiah's preaching; of his being apprehended by the people; of his defence of himself, and acquittance upon it. The time when, place where, and persons to whom the prophet delivered his discourse, are pointed at in Jer 26:1,2; the substance of it was, that if the people of the Jews would repent of their sins and turn from them, the Lord would avert the evil he had threatened them with; but if not, he would make their temple like Shiloh, and their city a curse to all the earth, Jer 26:3-6; upon hearing which the people seized him, and vowed he should die, because he had prophesied of the destruction of their city and temple, Jer 26:7-9; which the princes hearing of, came from the king's house to one of the gates of the temple, and sat as a court of judicature; to whom the priests and prophets accused Jeremiah of the above things as worthy of death, Jer 26:10,11; and before whom the prophet made his defence, alleging his mission and orders from the Lord; and therefore, instead of recanting, repeats his exhortation; and as for himself, he was not careful what they did to him; but advises them not to shed innocent blood, since it would bring evil upon them, Jer 26:12-15; upon which the princes acquit him, and declare him innocent, Jer 26:16; and this is confirmed by a like instance of Micah the prophet, in the times of Hezekiah, who prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem, and yet was not put to death, Jer 26:17-19; and by a contrary instance of Uriah, in the then present reign of Jehoiakim, who had been put to death for the like, but wrongly, Jer 26:20-23; and, in the issue, Jeremiah, through the good office of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, particularly, was saved from being put to death, Jer 26:24.