The big picture
Jeremiah 26 opens in verse 1 with “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 12 with “Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me…”, and closes in verse 24 with “Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should…” Repeated or prominent terms include LORD, house, people, Judah, king. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Jeremiah · King James Version · 24Jeremiah 26:1-8
1–8: In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of…
Jeremiah 26:1–8 opens with “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from…” and reaches “Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 26 develops its own movement around LORD, house, people, Judah, king, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, evil.
Context that brings the passage to life
“In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD , saying,” Naming Jehoiakim and Josiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to…” The line’s distinctive content terms include evil, doings, hearken. Its relationship to verses 2 and 4 shows what work it does in this passage.
“To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but…” The line’s distinctive content terms include both, early, hearken. Its relationship to verses 4 and 6 shows what work it does in this passage.
Jeremiah 26:1-8
King James Version1In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD , saying,
2Thus saith the LORD ; Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:
3If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.
4And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD ; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
5To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;
6Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
7So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD .
8Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.
Jeremiah 26:9-16
9–16: Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD , saying, This house…
Jeremiah 26:9–16 opens with “Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD , saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and…” and reaches “Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 26 develops its own movement around LORD, house, people, Judah, king, with particular weight carried by LORD, house, city.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD , saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for…” The line’s distinctive content terms include city, ears, people. Its relationship to verses 10 and 12 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
Jeremiah 26:9-16
King James Version9Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD , saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an inhabitant? And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the LORD .
10When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up from the king’s house unto the house of the LORD , and sat down in the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house.
11Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.
12Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.
13Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.
14As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you.
15But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears.
16Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.
Jeremiah 26:17-24
17–24: Rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly…
Jeremiah 26:17–24 opens with “Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people…” and reaches “Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 26 develops its own movement around LORD, house, people, Judah, king, with particular weight carried by king, LORD, Egypt.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,” The line’s distinctive content terms include assembly, certain, elders. Its relationship to verses 18 shows what work it does in this passage.
“Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD , and besought the LORD …” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him…” Naming Egypt and Jehoiakim keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Jeremiah 26:17-24
King James Version17Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all the assembly of the people, saying,
18Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.
19Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD , and besought the LORD , and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.
20And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD , Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:
21And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;
22And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.
23And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
24Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Jeremiah 26:1 begins with “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD , saying,”
Where the chapter turns
Jeremiah 26:12 forms a natural hinge: “Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words…”
The final note
Jeremiah 26:24 leaves the reader with “Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words LORD, house, people, Judah, king, words help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
How does Isaac respond to repeated disputes?
He relocates and digs again until a well is not contested, while later accepting a negotiated peace.
What persists from Abraham's story?
The promise, altars, wells, outsider status and the dangerous sister deception.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.