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JER EM IAH 27
page 691
evil ways. Then I will change my mind about
the disaster I am ready to pour out on them
because of their sins.
4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:
If you will not listen to me and obey my word
I have given you, 5 and if you will not listen
to my servants, the prophets—for I sent them
again and again to warn you, but you would
not listen to them—6 then I will destroy this
Temple as I destroyed Shiloh, the place where
the Tabernacle was located. And I will make
Jerusalem an object of cursing in every nation
on earth.’”
7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people
listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the
Lord’s Temple. 8 But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying everything the Lord
had told him to say, the priests and prophets
and all the people at the Temple mobbed him.
“Kill him!” they shouted. 9 “What right do you
have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this
Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do
you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all
the people threatened him as he stood in front
of the Temple.
10 When the officials of Judah heard what was
happening, they rushed over from the palace
and sat down at the New Gate of the Temple
to hold court. 11 The priests and prophets presented their accusations to the officials and the
people. “This man should die!” they said. “You
have heard with your own ears what a traitor
he is, for he has prophesied against this city.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to the officials and
the people in his own defense. “The Lord sent
me to prophesy against this Temple and this
city,” he said. “The Lord gave me every word
that I have spoken. 13 But if you stop your sinning and begin to obey the Lord your God, he
will change his mind about this disaster that he
has announced against you. 14 As for me, I am
in your hands—do with me as you think best.
15 But if you kill me, rest assured that you will
be killing an innocent man! The responsibility
for such a deed will lie on you, on this city, and
on every person living in it. For it is absolutely
true that the Lord sent me to speak every word
you have heard.”
16 Then the officials and the people said to
the priests and prophets, “This man does not
deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken
to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Then some of the wise old men stood and
spoke to all the people assembled there. 18 They
said, “Remember when Micah of Moresheth
prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah
of Judah. He told the people of Judah,
26:18 Mic 3:12. 27:1 As in some Hebrew manuscripts and
Syriac version (see also 27:3, 12); most Hebrew manuscripts
read Jehoiakim.
‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
says:
Mount Zion will be plowed like an
open field;
Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins!
A thicket will grow on the heights
where the Temple now stands.’*
19 But did King Hezekiah and the people kill
him for saying this? No, they turned from their
sins and worshiped the Lord. They begged him
for mercy. Then the Lord changed his mind
about the terrible disaster he had pronounced
against them. So we are about to do ourselves
great harm.”
20 At this time Uriah son of Shemaiah from
Kiriath-jearim was also prophesying for the
Lord. And he predicted the same terrible disaster against the city and nation as Jeremiah did.
21 When King Jehoiakim and the army officers
and officials heard what he was saying, the king
sent someone to kill him. But Uriah heard about
the plan and escaped in fear to Egypt. 22 Then
King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor to
Egypt along with several other men to capture
Uriah. 23 They took him prisoner and brought
him back to King Jehoiakim. The king then
killed Uriah with a sword and had him buried
in an unmarked grave.
24 Nevertheless, Ahi kam son of Shaphan
stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court
not to turn him over to the mob to be killed.
Jeremiah Wears an Ox Yoke
This message came to Jeremiah from the
Lord early in the reign of Zedekiah* son
of Josiah, king of Judah.
2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a
yoke, and fasten it on your neck with leather
straps. 3 Then send messages to the kings of
Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through
their ambassadors who have come to see King
Zedekiah in Jerusalem. 4 Give them this message for their masters: ‘This is what the Lord
of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:
5 With my great strength and powerful arm I
made the earth and all its people and every
animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose. 6 Now I will give your countries to
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my
servant. I have put everything, even the wild
animals, under his control. 7 All the nations
will serve him, his son, and his grandson until
his time is up. Then many nations and great
kings will conquer and rule over Babylon. 8 So
you must submit to Babylon’s king and serve
him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke!
I will punish any nation that refuses to be his
slave, says the Lord. I will send war, famine,
and disease upon that nation until Babylon
has conquered it.
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