1. At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord:
2. “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord’s temple and speak all the words I have commanded you to speak to all Judah’s cities that are coming to worship there. Do not hold back a word.
3. Perhaps they will listen and return — each from his evil way of life — so that I might relent concerning the disaster that I plan to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.
4. You are to say to them: This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to Me by living according to My instruction that I set before you
5. and by listening to the words of My servants the prophets I have been sending you time and time again, though you did not listen,
6. I will make this temple like Shiloh. I will make this city an object of cursing for all the nations of the earth.”
7. The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the temple of the Lord.