Jeremiah 26

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 26

1¶ In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

2Thus 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:

3If 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.

4And 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,

5To 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;

6Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7¶ So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

8Now 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.

9Why 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.

10When 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].

11Then spake 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.

12Then spake 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.

13Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

14As for me, behold, I [am] in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.

15But 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 the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

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.

17Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,

18Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake 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.

19Did 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 him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

20And there was also a man that 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:

21And 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;

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

23And 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.

24Nevertheless 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.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

In the early reign of King Jehoiakim, Jeremiah prophesies the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem if the people do not repent. Priests, prophets, and the people demand his death, but Jeremiah defends his divine commission. The princes and people ultimately spare him, recalling King Hezekiah's repentance after Micah's prophecy, though the tragic fate of Urijah serves as a grim counter-example.

Medium Summary

Jeremiah is commanded by the LORD to warn the people in the temple court that Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed like Shiloh if they do not amend their ways. Upon hearing this dire prophecy, the priests, false prophets, and the people seize Jeremiah, declaring him worthy of death for speaking against the holy city and house. Jeremiah boldly defends himself before the princes and the gathered assembly, asserting that the LORD sent him and urging them to repent to avert the pronounced judgment. He warns that killing him, an innocent prophet, would bring guilt upon the city. Influenced by the princes and elders who recall King Hezekiah's positive response to Micah's similar prophecy, the assembly decides not to execute Jeremiah. However, the chapter also recounts the tragic fate of Urijah, another prophet who spoke similarly and was executed by King Jehoiakim, highlighting the danger Jeremiah faced, though he was ultimately protected by Ahikam.

Long Summary

In the nascent period of King Jehoiakim's reign, the prophet Jeremiah receives a divine command to stand in the court of the LORD's house and deliver a message to all the worshippers from Judah. He is to warn them unequivocally that if they fail to hearken to the LORD, amend their evil ways, and obey His law and the words of His prophets, then the temple in Jerusalem will be made like Shiloh, and the city itself will become a curse to all nations. As Jeremiah concludes this solemn prophecy, the priests, the false prophets, and the assembled people immediately seize him, vehemently declaring that he is worthy of death for prophesying such destruction against the sacred house and city. The princes of Judah arrive and convene a judgment, where the accusers reiterate their demand for Jeremiah's execution. Jeremiah, however, fearlessly addresses the princes and the people, affirming that the LORD indeed sent him to prophesy these very words against the temple and the city. He implores them to repent and obey the LORD, promising that God would then relent from the evil He had pronounced. Jeremiah further states that he is in their hands, but warns that putting him to death would result in innocent blood being shed, bringing guilt upon Jerusalem, for his message is truly from the LORD. Swayed by Jeremiah's defense and the wisdom of the princes and elders, the assembly concludes that Jeremiah is not worthy of death, recognizing that he spoke in the name of the LORD. The elders specifically cite the precedent of the prophet Micah, who prophesied similar destruction during King Hezekiah's reign; Hezekiah and the people repented, and the LORD averted the threatened judgment, thus avoiding great evil. This historical example serves to protect Jeremiah. However, the narrative then introduces a contrasting and tragic example: Urijah, another prophet who spoke against the city in the LORD's name, was pursued by King Jehoiakim, who sought to kill him. Urijah fled to Egypt but was apprehended by the king's men, brought back, and executed by Jehoiakim, his body cast into the graves of the common people. Despite this perilous context, Jeremiah was ultimately protected by the influence of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, preventing him from being delivered into the hands of the people for execution.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Judgment and RepentanceJeremiah's prophecy warns of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, likened to Shiloh, if the people do not repent from their evil ways and obey the LORD's law. This concept emphasizes God's conditional judgment, which can be averted through genuine repentance.
  • Prophetic Authority and PersecutionJeremiah asserts that he was sent by the LORD to deliver his message, even when facing accusations of deserving death from priests and false prophets. This highlights the conflict between true divine messengers and those who oppose their uncomfortable truths.
  • Innocent BloodJeremiah warns that killing him would bring innocent blood upon the city and its inhabitants, underscoring the gravity of harming a divinely appointed prophet. This concept emphasizes the moral and spiritual consequences of rejecting God's messenger.
  • Historical Precedent (Micah)The elders recall Micah's prophecy during Hezekiah's reign, where the king's repentance led the LORD to relent from the pronounced evil. This historical example serves as a crucial argument for sparing Jeremiah and demonstrates the power of national repentance.
  • Royal Opposition and Martyrdom (Urijah)The account of Urijah, who prophesied similarly but was executed by King Jehoiakim, illustrates the extreme danger faced by prophets and the king's willingness to silence divine warnings. This contrasts with Jeremiah's deliverance and highlights the varying responses to prophetic messages.
  • Divine Protection (Ahikam)Ahikam's intervention to protect Jeremiah from being put to death demonstrates that even in times of great peril, God can raise up individuals to safeguard His messengers. This concept shows God's providential care amidst human hostility.