Jeremiah 36:4

4 Then Jeremiah called 1Baruch the son of Neriah, and 2Baruch wrote on 3a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD that he had spoken to him.

Jeremiah 36:4 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 36:4

Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah
One of his disciples, and whom he had before made use of in the purchase of a field of his uncle's son, and to whom he gave the evidence of the purchase, ( Jeremiah 32:12 ) ; he was probably a better penman than the prophet, or a quicker writer; however, he thought proper, for quicker dispatch, to make use of him as his amanuensis: 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;
it seems that Jeremiah had not committed any of his prophecies to writing; and yet it cannot be thought that by the mere strength of memory he could repeat every discourse and prophecy he had delivered in the space of two and twenty years; wherefore it must be concluded, that that same Spirit, which first dictated the prophecies to him, brought them fresh to his memory; so that he could readily repeat them to Baruch, who took them down in writing on a roll of parchment.

Jeremiah 36:4 In-Context

2 "Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.
3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."
4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD that he had spoken to him.
5 And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, "I am banned from going to the house of the LORD,
6 so you are to go, and on a day of fasting in the hearing of all the people in the LORD's house you shall read the words of the LORD from the scroll that you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the men of Judah who come out of their cities.

Cross References 3

  • 1. See Jeremiah 32:12
  • 2. See Jeremiah 32:12
  • 3. [See ver. 2 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.