FRAMEWORKS:
Jeremiah 26: Jeremiah
threatened with death
[Preliminary
Comment: This is a simple record of Jeremiah being instructed
by the Lord to warn the people outside the temple, where he is
then attacked by the crowd demanding his death but saved by officials
and elders. Meanwhile another prophet is rejected, hounded, and
killed.]
v.1-3
Jeremiah is instructed to stand outside the temple
v.1
Early
in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king
of Judah, this word came from the Lord:
v.2
‘This
is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord's house
and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to
worship in the house of the Lord. Tell them everything I command
you; do not omit a word.
v.3
Perhaps
they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then
I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning
because of the evil they have done.
v.4-6
He was to bring another warning
v.4
Say
to them, “This is what the Lord says: if you do not listen to
me and follow my law, which I have set before you,
v.5
and
if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened),
v.6
then
I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse among
all the nations of the earth.”'
v.7-9
The people threaten to kill Jeremiah
v.7
The
priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak
these words in the house of the Lord.
v.8
But
as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything
the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and
all the people seized him and said, ‘You must die!
v.9
Why
do you prophesy in the Lord's name that this house will be like
Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?' And all the
people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
v.10,11
The priests and prophets say he should die
v.10
When
the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up
from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their
places at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord's house.
v.11
Then
the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the
people, ‘This man should be sentenced to death because he has
prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own
ears!'
v.12,13
Jeremiah calls on them to repent
v.12
Then
Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: ‘The Lord
sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things
you have heard.
v.13
Now
reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God.
Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced
against you.
v.14,15
He warns of the consequences of killing him
v.14
As
for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good
and right.
v.15
Be
assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring
the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and
on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to
you to speak all these words in your hearing.'
v.16-19
The officials and some of the elders speak up on Jeremiah's behalf
v.16
Then
the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets,
‘This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us
in the name of the Lord our God.'
v.17
Some
of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire
assembly of people,
v.18
‘Micah
of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah.
He told all the people of Judah, “This is what the Lord Almighty
says:
‘“Zion
will be ploughed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,
the temple hill a mound overgrown with
thickets.”
v.19
‘Did
Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death?
Did not Hezekiah fear the Lord and seek his favour? And did not
the Lord relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced
against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster on ourselves!'
v.20-24
Uriah, another prophet, is killed by the king
v.20
(Now
Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim was another man who
prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things
against this city and this land as Jeremiah did.
v.21
When
King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials
heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.
But Uriah heard of it and fled in fear to Egypt.
v.22
King
Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan son of Akbor to Egypt, along
with some other men.
v.23
They
brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who
had him struck down with a sword and his body thrown into the
burial place of the common people.)
v.24
Furthermore,
Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed
over to the people to be put to death.
Continue
to Chapter 27