Jeremiah 36:13-23

13 Then Mikhayahu declared to them all the words that he had heard, when Barukh read the book in the ears of the people.

14 Therefore all the princes sent Yehudi the son of Netanyah, the son of Shelemyahu, the son of Kushi, to Barukh, saying, Take in your hand the scroll in which you have read in the ears of the people, and come. So Barukh the son of Neriyah took the scroll in his hand, and came to them.

15 They said to him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Barukh read it in their ears.

16 Now it happened, when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said to Barukh, We will surely tell the king of all these words.

17 They asked Barukh, saying, Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth?

18 Then Barukh answered them, He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

19 Then said the princes to Barukh, Go, hide you, you and Yirmeyahu; and let no man know where you are.

20 They went in to the king into the court; but they had laid up the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the Sofer; and they told all the words in the ears of the king.

21 So the king sent Yehudi to get the scroll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the Sofer. Yehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears 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 It happened, when Yehudi had read three or four leaves, that [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.

Jeremiah 36:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 36

This chapter gives an account of an impious action of King Jehoiakim's burning the roll of Jeremiah's prophecies read unto him, and the consequence of it. The order to write this roll, the time when, the contents and use of it, are in Jer 36:1-3; the writing of it by Baruch, the order of the prophet to read it to the people on such a day, with the view he had in so doing, Jer 36:4-7; the reading of it by Baruch to the people first, Jer 36:8-10; then to the princes, being sent for by them, upon a report made to them, Jer 36:11-15; the king being acquainted with it, Jehudi was sent to fetch the roll, who read it to the king, Jer 36:16-21; who having heard part of it, burnt it, notwithstanding the intercession of some of his princes to the contrary, Jer 36:22-25; and who also ordered the apprehension of Jeremiah and Baruch, who could not be found, Jer 36:26; upon this a new roll is ordered to be written, Jer 36:27,28; which was done with some additions to it, respecting the destruction of the land, and the people in it, by the Chaldeans; and particularly the death of the king, and his want of burial, Jer 36:29-32.