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At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD:
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Thus says the LORD: “Stand in the court of the LORD‘s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah who come to worship in the LORD‘s house all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not omit a single word!
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Perhaps they will listen, and each one will turn from his evil way, so that I may relent concerning the disaster that I plan to bring upon them because of their evil deeds.
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So you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, and will not follow my law that I have set before you,
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and will not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I keep sending to you again and again, — but you have not listened —
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then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city a curse among all the nations of the earth.”
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The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.
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When Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests, the prophets, and all the people seized him and said, “You must die!
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Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house will be like Shiloh, and this city will become a ruin, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
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When the officials of Judah heard about this, they came up from the king’s palace to the house of the LORD and sat at the New Gate of the house of the LORD.
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Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, “This man deserves the sentence of death, because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.”
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But Jeremiah said to all the officials and to all the people, “It was the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city, to speak all these words that you have heard.
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Now therefore, amend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, so that the LORD may relent concerning the disaster that he has pronounced against you.
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But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do to me as seems good and right in your eyes.
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Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon its inhabitants; for truly the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
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Then the leaders and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the death penalty, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.”
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Indeed, some of the elders of the land also came forward and said to the assembly of the people, saying:
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“Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He said to all the people of Judah, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Zion shall be plowed like a field,
and Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house shall become a wooded hill.’
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Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and seek the favor of the LORD, so that the LORD relented of the disaster that he had pronounced against them? And are we about to bring such great disaster on ourselves?”
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There was also another man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did.
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When King Jehoiakim, together with all his officers and all the leaders, heard his words, the king sought a way to put him to death. When Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and came to Egypt.
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Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt, namely Elnathan son of Achbor, with some others.
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They brought Uriah out of Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim. The king had him put to death with the sword and threw his body into the burial place of the common people.
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But Jeremiah was protected by Ahikam son of Shaphan, so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
📣🗡️🔥 Summary of Jeremiah 26 – Threat of Death against the Prophet & the Power of the Word of God
Jeremiah 26 records an important event: Jeremiah preached in the courtyard of the Temple, delivering a message of judgment from God. He said that if the nation did not repent, the Temple would become like Shiloh (an old place of worship that had been destroyed). The reaction of the people, priests, and leaders? They wanted to kill Jeremiah. But Jeremiah remained steadfast, even ready to die. Some defended him, recalling the prophet Micah, who had also once prophesied about destruction. In the end, Jeremiah was not killed — but another prophet named Uriah was killed for delivering a similar word. This chapter shows the enduring conflict between divine truth and human rejection.
📌 1. Jeremiah Is Told to Prophesy in the House of the LORD (verses 1–6)
“Speak to them all My words… perhaps they will listen…”
➡️ The LORD commanded Jeremiah to deliver the word of judgment directly in the holiest place: the house of God.
➡️ Jeremiah warned that if they did not repent, the house of the LORD would become like Shiloh, a symbol of ruin because of sin.
🎯 The LORD gave His people one last opportunity through a sharp and direct proclamation of truth.
📌 2. Jeremiah Is Seized and Threatened with Death (verses 7–11)
“You must surely die!”
➡️ The priests, false prophets, and the people rejected Jeremiah’s message and accused him of insulting the house of the LORD.
➡️ Jeremiah was brought before the city leaders to be judged because of the word he had spoken.
🎯 The response to the word is often harsh — especially when it confronts a people’s shared sin.
📌 3. Jeremiah’s Defense: I Have Only Spoken the Word (verses 12–15)
“The LORD sent me… amend your ways!”
➡️ Jeremiah declared that he had only done the command of God and did not regret it.
➡️ He was willing to die, but warned that killing a prophet would not silence the word of God.
🎯 Jeremiah’s courage becomes an example: obedience to God is more important than pleasing people.
📌 4. A Lesson from the Prophet Micah: Truth Need Not Be Answered with Blood (verses 16–19)
“Did Hezekiah kill Micah? No.”
➡️ Some of the elders remembered Micah, who also prophesied destruction — but King Hezekiah instead feared the LORD and repented.
🎯 A wise leader does not kill the truth, but allows the word of God to work in the hearts of the people.
📌 5. Uriah Is Killed Because of His Prophecy (verses 20–24)
“The king put him to death with the sword.”
➡️ The prophet Uriah, who delivered a message similar to Jeremiah’s, fled to Egypt but was seized and killed.
➡️ Jeremiah himself escaped death because of Ahikam’s protection, an official who supported him.
🎯 Even in the midst of threats, God can use certain people to be a protector for His servant.
📖 Main Teaching
- Speaking the word of God often invites opposition, even threats of death
- Divine truth does not depend on human acceptance
- The response to the word reveals the condition of the heart: repentance or rejection
- Leaders and people need to learn from history and not repeat earlier mistakes
- God watches over His servant, even when the path taken is full of risk
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
📖 Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, who kills the prophets…”
➡️ Jeremiah and Uriah are examples from the long history of the people’s rejection of God’s voice.
📖 Acts 7:52
“Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?”
➡️ Stephen affirmed this pattern: the righteous are often rejected by their own generation.
📖 2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season…”
➡️ Like Jeremiah, God’s servant is called to faithfully proclaim the word — not to seek popularity.
📖 Matthew 10:28
“Do not fear those who kill the body…”
➡️ Jesus taught what Jeremiah practiced — obedience is more important than personal safety.
🕊️ “This house will become like Shiloh…” – Jeremiah 26:6
🕊️ “As for me, I am in your hands. Do to me as seems good and right to you.” – Jeremiah 26:14
🕊️ “The LORD sent me…” – Jeremiah 26:12
🕊️ “The king put him to death with the sword…” – Jeremiah 26:23
