1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, [that] this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man 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 words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I [am] shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:
6 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD’S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.
7 It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great [is] the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.
8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD’S house.
9 And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, [that] they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.
10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD’S house, in the ears of all the people.
11 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,
12 Then he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, [even] Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.
13 Then Michaiah declared unto 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, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.
15 And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read [it] in their ears.
16 Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.
17 And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?
18 Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote [them] with ink in the book.
19 Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.
20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.
21 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.
22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and [there was a fire] on the hearth burning before him.
23 And it came to pass, [that] when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast [it] into the fire that [was] on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that [was] on the hearth.
24 Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, [neither] the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.
26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.
27 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.
29 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?
30 Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.
31 And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.
32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, 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 burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.
Overview of Jeremiah Chapter 36
Jeremiah Chapter 36 presents a significant moment in the life of the prophet Jeremiah and the history of Judah. The chapter describes the commissioning of Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe, to write down the prophecies of Jeremiah on a scroll. This chapter highlights themes of prophecy, the rejection of divine messages, and the consequences of disobedience.
Key Characters
- Jeremiah: The prophet who receives messages from God and directs Baruch to write them down.
- Baruch: Jeremiah’s scribe who faithfully records the prophecies and reads them to the people.
- Jehoiakim: The king of Judah who reacts negatively to the scroll and its contents.
- Officials and Elders: The leaders of Judah who respond to Baruch’s reading and report to the king.
Summary of Events
- God’s Command to Jeremiah: God instructs Jeremiah to take a scroll and write down all the words He has spoken to him concerning Israel, Judah, and all the nations from the time of Josiah to the present.
- Baruch’s Role: Jeremiah calls upon Baruch to write the prophecies. Baruch, obedient to Jeremiah’s command, writes down the words as dictated.
- Public Reading: Baruch reads the scroll in the temple during a fast day, drawing the attention of the people and officials who are alarmed by its contents.
- Reaction of the Officials: The officials, upon hearing the scroll, express concern and decide to inform King Jehoiakim about its contents.
- King Jehoiakim’s Response: The king orders the scroll to be brought to him, and as it is read, he shows contempt by cutting it into pieces and burning it, demonstrating his rejection of God’s message.
- God’s Assurance to Jeremiah: After the scroll is destroyed, God instructs Jeremiah to write another scroll with the same words, emphasizing the permanence of His message and the inevitability of judgment.
Themes and Analysis
Divine Authority and Prophecy
The chapter underscores the authority of God’s word as delivered through His prophets. The act of writing down the prophecies signifies the importance of preserving divine messages for future generations.
Human Rejection of Divine Messages
King Jehoiakim’s response to the scroll symbolizes the broader rejection of God’s warnings by the leaders of Judah. His act of burning the scroll reflects a willful defiance against divine authority, illustrating the dangers of ignoring prophetic warnings.
The Role of the Scribe
Baruch’s role as a scribe highlights the importance of faithful servants in the transmission of God’s word. His obedience contrasts sharply with the king’s disobedience, demonstrating the different responses individuals can have to divine instruction.
Consequences of Disobedience
The chapter serves as a warning about the consequences of rejecting God’s messages. Jehoiakim’s actions lead to further judgment against him and Judah, reinforcing the idea that ignoring divine warnings leads to dire outcomes.
Conclusion
Jeremiah Chapter 36 is a poignant reminder of the power of God’s word and the human tendency to resist it. The events of this chapter illustrate the critical role of prophets and scribes in conveying divine messages and the serious repercussions that can follow when those messages are dismissed.
