Jeremiah 26:20
in Jeremiah 26Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of Jehovah, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath-jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.
KJV
And 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:
⋯
This verse in Jeremiah 26
Commentary
8 notes on this verseUrijah - who prophesied - The process against Jeremiah is finished at the nineteenth verse; and the case of Urijah is next brought on, for he was also to be tried for his life; but hearing of it he fled to Egypt. He was however condemned in his absence; and the king sent to Egypt, and brought him thence and slew him, and caused him to have an ignominious burial, Jer 26:21-23.
This site's exposition
Now there was another man prophesying
on Jeremiah 26:20-23
A second case stands beside the first: “Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim” prophesied “the same things that Jeremiah did.” When he fled to Egypt, Jehoiakim sent “Elnathan son of Achbor” to bring him back. Hezekiah heard Micah and turned, and Jehoiakim hears the same warning and kills the messenger.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
(Verse 20 onwards) There was also a prophet man in the name of the Lord, Uriah, the son of Shemai from Kiriath-Jearim, and he prophesied against this city and against this land, according to all the words of Jeremiah. And King Jehoiakim and all his powerful men and officials heard these words, and the king sought to put him to death. But Uriah heard about it and was afraid, so he fled and went to Egypt.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And there was - This is a story which we have recorded in no other part of scripture. They are probably the words of some others, who were enemies to Jeremiah.
And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the Lord,....
Some make this to be urged by the prosecutors, as a case that favoured the prosecution, a modern case, in which speaking such words as Jeremiah had spoken was adjudged treason. Others think that the elders, who were advocates for Jeremiah, alleged this to show that thus they might procure great evil against their souls, for it would be adding sin to sin.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Urijah . . . (proving how great was the danger in which Jeremiah stood, and how wonderful the providence of God in preserving him), nevertheless the hand of Ahikam," &c. [GLASSIUS]. The context, however, implies rather that the words are the continuation of the previous speech of the elders.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
This narrative of Urijah’s fate was no part of the speech of the elders, who would not be likely to contrast the behavior of the reigning king so unfavorably with that of Hezekiah. Moreover, it would have been a precedent, not for acquitting Jeremiah, but for putting him to death. Jeremiah, when he reduced the narrative to writing, probably added this history to show the ferocity of Jehoiakim, and the danger to which he had been himself exposed.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Also a man was prophesying The one who said this did not say this. I.e., those who related the incident of Micah did not relate the incident concerning Uriah. Up to here are the words of the righteous.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְגַם־ | vegam- | and also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| אִ֗ישׁ | ʾish | a man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| הָיָ֤ה | hayah | he was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מִתְנַבֵּא֙ | mitnabe' | prophesying | H5012 → | 115 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֣ם | beshem | in [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֽוּרִיָּ֙הוּ֙ | ʾuriyahu | Uriah | H223 → | 39 times |
| בֶּֽן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| שְׁמַעְיָ֔הוּ | shema'yahu | Shemaiah | H8098 → | 41 times |
| מִקִּרְיַ֖ת | mikiryat | from Kiriath | H7157 → | |
| הַיְּעָרִ֑ים | haiyearim | <the> Jearim | H7157 → | |
| וַיִּנָּבֵ֞א | vaiyinave' | and he prophesied | H5012 → | 115 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָעִ֤יר | hair | the city | H5892 → | 1090 times |
| הַזֹּאת֙ | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הָאָ֣רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| הַזֹּ֔את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| כְּכֹ֖ל | kekhol | like all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֥י | divrei | [the] words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃ | yirmeyahu | Jeremiah | H3414 → | 147 times |
וְגַם־and also
vegam-H1571 →769 times
אִ֗ישׁa man
ʾishH376 →1663 times
הָיָ֤הhe was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
מִתְנַבֵּא֙prophesying
mitnabe'H5012 →115 times
בְּשֵׁ֣םin [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֽוּרִיָּ֙הוּ֙Uriah
ʾuriyahuH223 →39 times
בֶּֽן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
שְׁמַעְיָ֔הוּShemaiah
shema'yahuH8098 →41 times
מִקִּרְיַ֖תfrom Kiriath
mikiryatH7157 →
הַיְּעָרִ֑ים<the> Jearim
haiyearimH7157 →
וַיִּנָּבֵ֞אand he prophesied
vaiyinave'H5012 →115 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הָעִ֤ירthe city
hairH5892 →1090 times
הַזֹּאת֙<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
הָאָ֣רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
הַזֹּ֔את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
כְּכֹ֖לlike all
kekholH3605 →5413 times
דִּבְרֵ֥י[the] words of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
יִרְמְיָֽהוּ׃Jeremiah
yirmeyahuH3414 →147 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Samuel 6:21So they sent messengers to the people of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up with you.”
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 13:5–6
So David assembled all Israel, from the River Shihor in Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Chronicles 13:5–6
Through
Joshua 15:60Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah—two cities, along with their villages.
it leads to
- Joshua 18:14
On the west side the border curved southward from the hill facing Beth-horon on the south and came out at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city of the sons of Judah. This was the…
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Joshua 18:14
Through
Joshua 9:17So the Israelites set out and on the third day arrived at their cities—Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 7:1
Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 7:1
Through
1 Samuel 7:2And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mourned and sought after the LORD.
it leads to
- Zechariah 12:10–11
Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They…
- Jeremiah 3:13
Only acknowledge your guilt, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God. You have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every green tree and have not obeyed My voice,’” declares the LORD.
- Jeremiah 31:9
They will come with weeping, and by their supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk beside streams of waters, on a level path where they will not stumble. For I am…
- 2 Corinthians 7:10–11
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.
- Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Zechariah 12:10–11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Jeremiah

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Commentary on Jeremiah; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
