Jeremiah Chapter 36
1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 "Take a scroll of a book, and write in it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.
3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I intend to do to them; that they may each return from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."
4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the LORD's words, which he had spoken to him, on a scroll of a book.
5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, "I am restricted. I can't go into the LORD's house.
6 Therefore you go, and read from the scroll which you have written from my mouth, the LORD's words, in the ears of the people in the LORD's house on the fast day. Also you shall read them in the ears of all Judah who come out of their cities.
7 It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will each return from his evil way; for the LORD has pronounced great anger and wrath against this people."
8 Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the LORD's words in the LORD's house.
9 Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem, and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem, proclaimed a fast before the LORD.
10 Then Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the book in the LORD's house, in the room of Gemariah the son of Shaphan, the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people.
11 When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the LORD's words,
12 he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's room: and behold, all the princes were sitting there, Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
13 Then Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.
14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, "Take in your hand the scroll in which you have read in the ears of the people, and come." So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand, and came to them.
15 They said to him, "Sit down now, and read it in our hearing." So Baruch read it in their hearing.
16 Now when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one towards another, and said to Baruch, "We will surely tell the king of all these words."
17 They asked Baruch, saying, "Tell us now, how did you write all these words at his mouth?"
18 Then Baruch answered them, "He dictated all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book."
19 Then the princes said to Baruch, "You and Jeremiah go hide. Don't let anyone know where you are."
20 They went in to the king into the court; but they had laid up the scroll in the room of Elishama the scribe. Then they told all the words in the hearing of the king.
21 So the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll; and he took it out of the room of Elishama the scribe. Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king, and in the hearing of all the princes who stood beside the king.
22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month; and there was a fire in the brazier burning before him.
23 When Jehudi had read three or four leaves, the king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.
24 The king and his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, and didn't tear their garments.
25 Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the scroll; but he would not listen to them.
26 The king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; but the LORD hid them.
27 Then the LORD's word came to Jeremiah, after the king had burnt the scroll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
28 "Take again another scroll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burnt.
29 Concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, 'The LORD says: "You have burnt this scroll, saying, "Why have you written therein, saying, 'The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cause to cease from there man and animal?' " '
30 Therefore the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: "He will have no one to sit on David's throne. His dead body will be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
31 I will punish him, his offspring, and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring on them, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, but they didn't listen." ' "
32 Then took Jeremiah another scroll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burnt in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.
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Jeremiah Chapter 36 Guide
This chapter constitutes an interpolation in the chronological order of Jeremiah's prophesying. In detail it tells the story of the writing of the words of Jeremiah in a book to which he had incidentally made reference in his introduction to the prophecies of hope. The command had come to him in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim. He had called Baruch, to whom he had committed the deed of the purchase of the field in Anathoth, and had dictated to him all the words committed to him by Jehovah, commanding him when he had written them to go into the house of Jehovah on the fast day and read them in the hearing of the people. He was to do this because Jeremiah was unable to go.
In the fifth year of Jehoiakim's reign these words were read by Baruch at a fast proclaimed by the people. Micaiah, who heard the reading, found his way into the assembly of the princes and rehearsed to them what he had heard. They sent Jehudi to bring Baruch to them. He came and read to them the same words. Sending Baruch away, charging him to hide with Jeremiah, they retained the roll and told the king of its contents. At last Jehudi read it to the king, who angrily mutilated it and burned it in the brazier. It is possible to mutilate and even destroy a sacred writing, but it is not possible to make of none effect any word of Jehovah. Again Jeremiah dictated the messages to Baruch, adding many words to them, so that the writing was perpetuated, but Jehoiakim was doomed.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Jeremiah Chapter 36 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- Baruch is to write the prophecies of Jeremiah. -- (1-8)
- The princes advise them to hide themselves. -- (9-19)
- The king having heard a part, burns the roll. -- (20-32)
Verses 1-8
The writing of the Scriptures was by Divine appointment. The Divine wisdom directed to this as a proper means; if it failed, the house of Judah would be the more without excuse. The Lord declares to sinners the evil he purposes to do against them, that they may hear, and fear, and return from their evil ways; and whenever any one makes this use of God's warnings, in dependence on his promised mercy, he will find the Lord ready to forgive his sins. All others will be left without excuse; and the consideration that great is the anger God has pronounced against us for sin, should quicken both our prayers and our endeavours.
Verses 9-19
Shows of piety and devotion may be found even among those, who, though they keep up forms of godliness, are strangers and enemies to the power of it. The princes patiently attended the reading of the whole book. They were in great fear. But even those who are convinced to the truth and importance of what they hear, and are disposed to favour those who preach it, often have difficulties and reserves about their safety, interest, or preferment, so that they do not act according to their convictions, and try to get rid of what they find troublesome.
Verses 20-32
Those who despise the word of God, will soon show, as this king did, that they hate it; and, like him, they would wish it destroyed. See what enmity there is against God in the carnal mind, and wonder at his patience. The princes showed some concern, till they saw how light the king made of it. Beware of making light of God's word!
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.