Jeremiah 36:4

4 Then Jeremiah called 1Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a 2scroll * at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD which 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 which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.
3 "Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will 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 which He had spoken to him.
5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, "I am restricted; I cannot go into the house of the LORD .
6 "So you go and read from the scroll which you have written at my dictation the words of the LORD to the people in the LORD'S house on a fast day. And also you shall read them to all the people of Judah who come from their cities.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Jeremiah 32:12; Jeremiah 36:18; Jeremiah 43:3; Jeremiah 45:1
  • 2. Jeremiah 36:14; Ezekiel 2:9

Footnotes 2

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