Jeremiah 36:1-8

Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah's Scroll

1 In the 1fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
2 "Take 2a scroll and 3write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and 4Judah 5and all the nations, 6from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.
3 7It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, 8so that every one may turn from his evil way, and 9that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin."
4 Then Jeremiah called 10Baruch the son of Neriah, and 11Baruch wrote on 12a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD that he had spoken to him.
5 And Jeremiah ordered 13Baruch, saying, 14"I am banned from going to the house of the LORD,
6 so you are to go, and 15on 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.
7 16It may be that their plea for mercy will come before the LORD, 17and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people."
8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did all that Jeremiah the prophet ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the LORD in the LORD's house.

Jeremiah 36:1-8 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.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Jeremiah 25:1; Jeremiah 45:1; [ver. 9]
  • 2. Ezra 6:2; Psalms 40:7; Ezekiel 2:9; Zechariah 5:1, 2
  • 3. Jeremiah 30:2; [Jeremiah 51:60]
  • 4. Jeremiah 25:2
  • 5. See Jeremiah 25:15-26; Jeremiah 46 - 51
  • 6. Jeremiah 1:2; Jeremiah 25:3
  • 7. Jeremiah 26:3; Ezekiel 12:3; Zephaniah 2:3; [Amos 5:15]
  • 8. [Jeremiah 18:8]
  • 9. See Jeremiah 31:34
  • 10. See Jeremiah 32:12
  • 11. See Jeremiah 32:12
  • 12. [See ver. 2 above]
  • 13. [See ver. 4 above]
  • 14. Jeremiah 32:2; Jeremiah 33:1; Jeremiah 39:15
  • 15. [ver. 9]
  • 16. [See ver. 3 above]
  • 17. [See ver. 3 above]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.