1. Soon after Jehoiakim became king of Judah, the Lord said:
2. Jeremiah, I have a message for everyone who comes from the towns of Judah to worship in my temple. Go to the temple courtyard and speak every word that I tell you.
3. Perhaps the people will listen this time. And if they stop doing wrong, I will change my mind and not punish them for their sins.
4. Tell them that I have said:You have refused to listen to me and to obey my laws and teachings.
5. Again and again I have sent my servants the prophets to preach to you, but you ignored them as well. Now I am warning you that if you don't start obeying me straight away,
6. I will destroy this temple, just as I destroyed the town of Shiloh. Then everyone on earth will use the name “Jerusalem” as a curse word.
7. The prophets, the priests, and everyone else in the temple heard what I said,
8-9. and as soon as I finished, they all crowded around me and started shouting, “Why did you preach that the Lord will destroy this temple, just as he destroyed Shiloh? Why did you say that Jerusalem will be empty and lie in ruins? You ought to be put to death for saying such things in the Lord's name!” Then they had me arrested.