Jeremiah is brought to trial

26:1 The Lord spoke to Jeremiah at the beginning of the reign of Josiah’s son, King Jehoiakim of Judah. 26:2 The Lord said, “Go stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple. Speak out to all the people who are coming from the towns of Judah to worship in the Lord’s temple. Tell them everything I command you to tell them. Do not leave out a single word! 26:3 Maybe they will pay attention and each of them will stop living the evil way they do. If they do that, then I will forgo destroying them as I had intended to do because of the wicked things they have been doing. 26:4 Tell them that the Lord says, ‘You must obey me! You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws. 26:5 You must pay attention to the exhortations of my servants the prophets. I have sent them to you over and over again. But you have not paid any attention to them. 26:6 If you do not obey me, then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. And I will make this city an example to be used in curses by people from all the nations on the earth.’” 26:7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in the Lord’s temple. 26:8 Jeremiah had just barely finished saying all the Lord had commanded him to say to all the people. All at once some of the priests, the prophets, and the people grabbed him and shouted, “You deserve to die! 26:9 How dare you claim the Lord’s authority to prophesy such things! How dare you claim his authority to prophesy that this temple will become like Shiloh and that this city will become an uninhabited ruin!” Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah. 26:10 However, some of the officials of Judah heard about what was happening and they rushed up to the Lord’s temple from the royal palace. They set up court at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s temple. 26:11 Then the priests and the prophets made their charges before the officials and all the people. They said, “This man should be condemned to die because he prophesied against this city. You have heard him do so with your own ears.” 26:12 Then Jeremiah made his defense before all the officials and all the people. “The Lord sent me to prophesy everything you have heard me say against this temple and against this city. 26:13 But correct the way you have been living and do what is right. Obey the Lord your God. If you do, the Lord will forgo destroying you as he threatened he would. 26:14 As to my case, I am in your power. Do to me what you deem fair and proper. 26:15 But you should take careful note of this: If you put me to death, you will bring on yourselves and this city and those who live in it the guilt of murdering an innocent man. For the Lord has sent me to speak all this where you can hear it. That is the truth!” 26:16 Then the officials and all the people rendered their verdict to the priests and the prophets. They said, “This man should not be condemned to die. For he has spoken to us under the authority of the Lord our God.” 26:17 Then some of the elders of Judah stepped forward and spoke to all the people gathered there. They said, 26:18 “Micah from Moresheth prophesied during the time Hezekiah was king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Zion will become a plowed field. Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble. The temple mount will become a mere wooded ridge.”’ 26:19 King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah did not put him to death, did they? Did not Hezekiah show reverence for the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor? Did not the Lord forgo destroying them as he threatened he would? But we are on the verge of bringing great disaster on ourselves.” 26:20 Now there was another man who prophesied as the Lord’s representative against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim. 26:21 When the king and all his bodyguards and officials heard what he was prophesying, the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear. 26:22 However, King Jehoiakim sent some men to Egypt, including Elnathan son of Achbor, 26:23 and they brought Uriah back from there. They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people. 26:24 However, Ahikam son of Shaphan used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people.

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Jeremiah speaks God’s warning in the temple, and the priests, prophets, and people accuse him of deserving death. Jeremiah says he only delivered the Lord’s message and calls them to repent. The officials and elders defend him, and Jeremiah is spared, though another prophet, Uriah, is later killed by King Jehoiakim.

This chapter shows what happened after Jeremiah preached in the temple. The Lord sent him to speak every word, with no part left out. The warning was clear: if Judah did not turn from evil and obey God, judgment would come. God was giving a real warning and a real call to repent.

The priests and prophets were angry. They heard Jeremiah’s warning as an attack on the temple and the city. They seized him and said he should die. But Jeremiah stood his ground. He said he was speaking only what the Lord had commanded. He did not defend himself by pride or power. He simply pointed to God’s word.

Jeremiah also told them again to change their ways. If the people repented, the Lord would forgo the destruction he had announced. That shows both God’s holiness and his mercy. He judges sin, but he also calls sinners to turn back.

The officials then heard the case. They decided Jeremiah should not be killed, because he had spoken under the Lord’s authority. The elders also reminded the people that Micah had given a similar warning in an earlier generation. King Hezekiah did not kill Micah. Instead, he humbled himself and sought the Lord, and God did not bring the threatened disaster.

The chapter ends with a sad contrast. Another prophet, Uriah, had spoken the same kind of warning. King Jehoiakim had him brought back and put to death. Jeremiah was spared only because Ahikam used his influence to protect him. The chapter shows how easily true prophecy can be rejected, but God can preserve his servant. It also shows that rejecting God’s word is dangerous.

• God sent Jeremiah with a full and exact warning.
• Judah was called to repent and obey the Lord.
• The priests and prophets wrongly treated Jeremiah as a criminal.
• Jeremiah defended himself by appealing to God’s command, not his own authority.
• Repentance could lead the Lord to withhold the announced judgment.
• The officials recognized that Jeremiah had spoken for the Lord.
• Micah’s earlier warning under Hezekiah showed this was not a new pattern.
• Uriah’s death showed the danger faced by true prophets under hostile rulers.
• God preserved Jeremiah through Ahikam’s help.

• Do not leave out a single word.
• You must obey me.
• You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws.
• You must pay attention to the exhortations of my servants the prophets.
• If you do not obey me, then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh.
• If the people repented, the Lord would forgo the destruction he had announced.

This passage is part of God’s covenant dealings with Judah. He warns his people before judgment and still calls them to repent. It also fits the wider Bible pattern of God’s true messengers being rejected by sinful leaders, yet vindicated by God. The Lord preserves his word and protects his servant according to his purpose.

We should take God’s warnings seriously, not defend ourselves by ignoring them. Religious activity is not enough if we refuse to obey the Lord. When Scripture corrects us, we should repent rather than fight against the truth. And when faithful teaching is opposed, we should remember that God still sees, judges, and preserves whom he chooses.

• Lite Commentary
• In-depth Commentary