IN the beginning of the reign of Yahuyaqiym the son of Yo'shiyahu king of Yahudah came this word from Yahuah, saying,
Thus says Yahuah; Stand in the court of Yahuah's house, and speak unto all the cities of Yahudah, which come to worship in Yahuah's house, את all the words that I command you to speak unto them; diminish not a word:
If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.
And you shall say unto them, Thus says Yahuah; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my Torah, which I have set before you,
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;
Then will I make this house like Shiyloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Yirmeyahu speaking these words in the house of Yahuah.
Now it came to pass, when Yirmeyahu had made an end of speaking את all that Yahuah had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, You shall surely die.
Why have you prophesied in the name of Yahuah, saying, This house shall be like Shiyloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against El-Yirmeyahu in the house of Yahuah.
When the princes of Yahudah heard את these things, then they came up from the king's house unto the house of Yahuah, and sat down in the entry of the new gate of Yahuah's house.
Then spoke the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he has prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.
Then spoke Yirmeyahu unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, Yahuah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city את all the words that ye have heard.
Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of Yahuah Elohaykem; and Yahuah will repent of the evil that he has pronounced against you.
As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seems good and meet unto you.
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 of a truth Yahuah has sent me unto you to speak את all these words in your ears.
Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he has spoken to us in the name of Yahuah Elohaynu.
Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying,
Miykayahu the Morashtiy prophesied in the days of Yechizqiyahu king of Yahudah, and spoke to all the people of Yahudah, saying, Thus says Yahuah Tseva'oth; Tsiyon shall be plowed like a field, and Yerushalayim shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
Did Yechizqiyahu king of Yahudah and all Yahudah put him at all to death? did he not fear Yahuah, and besought Yahuah, and Yahuah repented of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.
And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of Yahuah, Uriyahu the son of Shema'yahu of Qiryat Ye'ariym, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Yirmeyahu:
And when Yahuyaqiym the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Uriyahu heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Mitsrayim;
And Yahuyaqiym the king sent men into Mitsrayim, את namely, Elnathan the son of Akbor, and certain men with him into Mitsrayim.
And they fetched forth Uriyahu out of Mitsrayim, and brought him unto Yahuyaqiym the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
Nevertheless the hand of Achiyqam the son of Shaphan was with Yirmeyahu, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.