Jeremiah’s Enemies Try to Have Him Killed
1A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It was shortly after Jehoiakim became king of Judah. He was the son of Josiah. 2The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Stand in the courtyard of my house. Speak to the people of the towns in Judah. Speak to all those who come to worship in my house. Tell them everything I command you. Do not leave out a single word. 3Perhaps they will listen. Maybe they will turn from their evil ways. Then I will not do what I said I would. I will not bring trouble on them. I had planned to punish them because of the evil things they had done. 4Tell them, ‘The Lord says, “Listen to me. Obey my law that I gave you. 5And listen to the words my servants the prophets are speaking. I have sent them to you again and again. But you have not listened to them. 6So I will make this house like Shiloh. All the nations on earth will use the name of this city in a curse.” ’ ”
7Jeremiah spoke these words in the Lord’s house. The priests, the prophets and all the people heard him. 8Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say. But as soon as he did, the priests, the prophets and all the people grabbed him. They said, “You must die! 9Why do you prophesy these things in the Lord’s name? Why do you say that this house will become like Shiloh? Why do you say that this city will be empty and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the Lord’s house.
10The officials of Judah heard what had happened. So they went up from the royal palace to the Lord’s house. There they took their places at the entrance of the New Gate. 11Then the priests and prophets spoke to the officials and all the people. They said, “This man should be sentenced to death. He has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”
12Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and people. He said, “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city. He told me to say everything you have heard. 13So change the way you live and act. Obey the Lord your God. Then he won’t do what he said he would. He won’t bring on you the trouble he said he would bring. 14As for me, I’m in your hands. Do to me what you think is good and right. 15But you can be sure of one thing. If you put me to death, you will be held responsible for spilling my blood. And I haven’t even done anything wrong. You will bring guilt on yourselves and this city and those who live in it. The Lord has sent me to you. He wanted me to say all these things so you could hear them. And that’s the truth.”
16Then the officials and all the people spoke to the priests and prophets. They said, “This man shouldn’t be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17Some of the elders of the land stepped forward. They spoke to the whole community gathered there. They said, 18“Micah from Moresheth prophesied. It was during the time Hezekiah was king over Judah. Micah spoke to all the people of Judah. He told them, ‘The Lord who rules over all says,
“ ‘ “Zion will be plowed up like a field.
Jerusalem will be turned into a pile of trash.
The temple hill will be covered with bushes and weeds.” ’ (Micah 3:12)
19Did King Hezekiah or anyone else in Judah put Micah to death? Hezekiah had respect for the Lord and tried to please him. And the Lord didn’t judge Jerusalem as he said he would. He didn’t bring on it the trouble he said he would bring. But we are about to bring horrible trouble on ourselves!”
20Uriah was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord. He was from Kiriath Jearim. He was the son of Shemaiah. Uriah prophesied against this city and this land. He said the same things Jeremiah did. 21King Jehoiakim and all his officers and officials heard Uriah’s words. So the king decided to put him to death. But Uriah heard about it. He was afraid. And he ran away to Egypt. 22So King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan to Egypt. He also sent some other men along with him. Elnathan was the son of Akbor. 23Those men brought Uriah out of Egypt. They took him to King Jehoiakim. Then the king had Uriah struck down with a sword. He had Uriah’s body thrown into one of the graves of the ordinary people.
24In spite of that, Ahikam stood up for Jeremiah. Ahikam was the son of Shaphan. Because of Ahikam, Jeremiah wasn’t handed over to the people to be put to death.
Yeremia Atishiwa Kuuawa
126:1 2Fal 23:36Mwanzoni mwa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia mfalme wa Yuda, neno hili lilikuja kutoka kwa Bwana: 226:2 Yer 19:14; Kut 23:14; Mdo 20:27; Kum 12:5; Yer 17:19; Mt 28:20; Kum 4:2“Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Simama katika ua wa nyumba ya Bwana na useme na watu wote wa miji ya Yuda wanaokuja kuabudu katika nyumba ya Bwana. Waambie kila kitu nitakachokuamuru, usipunguze neno. 326:3 Kum 30:2; Isa 55:7; Yer 18:8; 2Nya 33:12-13; Yer 35:15; 36:7Huenda watasikiliza, na kila mmoja akageuka kutoka njia yake mbaya. Kisha nitawahurumia na kuacha kuwaletea maafa niliyokuwa ninapanga kwa sababu ya maovu waliyofanya. 426:4 Law 26:14; Yer 25:3; 1Fal 9:6; Yer 11:8Waambie, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Ikiwa hamtanisikiliza na kuifuata sheria yangu ambayo nimeiweka mbele yenu, 526:5 Mit 1:24; Isa 65:12; Yer 7:13; 25:4; 44:5nanyi ikiwa hamtayasikiliza maneno ya watumishi wangu manabii, ambao nimewatuma kwenu tena na tena (ijapokuwa hamkuwasikiliza), 626:6 Yos 18:1; Amu 18:31; Kum 28:25; 2Fal 22:19ndipo nitaifanya nyumba hii kama Shilo na mji huu kuwa kitu cha kulaaniwa na mataifa yote ya dunia.’ ”
7Makuhani, manabii na watu wote wakamsikia Yeremia akiyasema maneno haya ndani ya nyumba ya Bwana. 826:8 Mdo 6:12; 21:27; Law 24:15-16; Neh 9:26; Yer 11:21Lakini mara tu Yeremia alipomaliza kuwaambia watu kila kitu Bwana alichomwamuru kukisema, basi makuhani, manabii na watu wote walimkamata wakisema, “Ni lazima ufe! 926:9 Law 26:32; Yer 9:11; Mdo 21:32Kwa nini unatoa unabii katika jina la Bwana kwamba nyumba hii itakuwa kama Shilo na mji huu utakuwa ukiwa na kuachwa tupu?” Nao watu wote wakamkusanyikia na kumzunguka Yeremia ndani ya nyumba ya Bwana.
1026:10 Yer 34:19; Eze 22:27; Mwa 23:10Maafisa wa Yuda waliposikia kuhusu mambo haya, wakapanda kutoka jumba la kifalme, wakaenda katika nyumba ya Bwana na kushika nafasi zao kwenye ingilio la Lango Jipya la nyumba ya Bwana. 1126:11 Yer 38:4; Kum 18:20; Mdo 6:11; Kum 18:20Kisha makuhani na manabii wakawaambia maafisa pamoja na watu wote, “Mtu huyu anastahili ahukumiwe kifo kwa sababu ametoa unabii mbaya dhidi ya mji huu. Mmesikia kwa masikio yenu wenyewe!”
1226:12 Yer 1:18; Isa 6:8; Mdo 5:29; Amo 7:15; Mdo 4:18-20Kisha Yeremia akawaambia maafisa wote na watu wote: “Bwana amenituma kutoa unabii dhidi ya nyumba hii na mji huu mambo yote mliyoyasikia. 1326:13 Yoe 2:12; Yer 7:5; 35:15; 11:4; 18:8Sasa tengenezeni njia zenu na matendo yenu, na kumtii Bwana Mungu wenu. Ndipo Bwana atawahurumia na kuacha kuleta maafa aliyokuwa ameyatamka dhidi yenu. 1426:14 Yos 9:15; Yer 38:5Lakini kwa habari yangu mimi, niko mikononi mwenu, nifanyieni lolote mnaloona kuwa ni jema na la haki. 1526:15 Kum 19:10; Yer 1:17Hata hivyo, jueni kwa hakika, ikiwa mtaniua, mtakuwa mmejipatia dhambi kwa damu isiyo na hatia juu yenu wenyewe, na juu ya mji huu na wote wanaoishi ndani yake, kwa maana ni kweli Bwana amenituma kwenu ili niseme maneno haya yote masikioni mwenu.”
1626:16 Mdo 23:9; 5:34-39; 23:29Kisha maafisa na watu wote wakawaambia makuhani na manabii, “Mtu huyu asihukumiwe kifo! Amesema nasi katika jina la Bwana, Mungu wetu.”
17Baadhi ya wazee wa nchi wakasogea mbele, wakaliambia kusanyiko lote la watu, 1826:18 Isa 2:3; 2Fal 25:9; Neh 4:2; Mik 1:4; Zek 8:3; Yer 17:3; 9:11“Mika Mmoreshethi alitoa unabii katika siku za Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda. Akawaambia watu wote wa Yuda, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote:
“ ‘Sayuni italimwa kama shamba,
Yerusalemu itakuwa lundo la kokoto,
na kilima cha Hekalu kitakuwa kichuguu
kilichofunikwa na vichaka.’
1926:19 1Nya 3:13; Kut 32:14; Isa 37:14-20; 2Sam 24:16; Hab 2:10; 2Nya 32:24-26Je, Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda au mtu mwingine yeyote katika Yuda alimhukumu Mika kufa? Je, Hezekia hakumcha Bwana na kuhitaji msaada wake? Je, Bwana hakuwahurumia na akaacha kuleta maafa aliyokuwa ametamka dhidi yao? Tunakaribia sana kujiletea maangamizo ya kutisha sisi wenyewe!”
2026:20 Yos 9:17(Wakati huu, Uria mwana wa Shemaya kutoka mji wa Kiriath-Yearimu alikuwa mtu mwingine aliyetoa unabii kwa jina la Bwana. Alitoa unabii juu ya mambo yaliyofanana na haya dhidi ya mji huu na nchi hii kama alivyofanya Yeremia. 2126:21 Mwa 31:21; Mt 10:23; 1Fal 19:2-3; Yer 2:30; Mt 23:37Mfalme Yehoyakimu na wakuu wake wote na maafisa waliposikia maneno yake, mfalme alitafuta kumuua. Lakini Uria alipata habari, na kwa kuogopa akakimbilia Misri. 2226:22 Yer 36:12, 25; Mit 29:12Hata hivyo, Mfalme Yehoyakimu alimtuma Elnathani mwana wa Akbori huko Misri, pamoja na watu wengine ili kwenda kumkamata Uria. 2326:23 2Fal 23:6; Ebr 11:37Wakamrudisha Uria kutoka Misri na kumpeleka kwa Mfalme Yehoyakimu, ambaye alimuua kwa upanga, na mwili wake kutupwa kwenye eneo la makaburi ya watu wasio na cheo.)
2426:24 2Fal 22:12; Yer 39:14Zaidi ya hayo, Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani akamuunga mkono Yeremia, kwa hiyo hakutiwa tena mikononi mwa watu ili auawe.
