Jeremiah 36:3

3 "¹Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will ²turn from his evil way; then I will ³forgive their iniquity and their sin."

Jeremiah 36:3 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 36:3

It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which
I purpose to do unto them
Not that there was any uncertainty in God as to the knowledge of future events, any more than a change in his purposes: he had purposed to bring evil upon them, which purpose would not be disannulled; and he knew that the Jews would not hearken to the prediction of it, or be concerned about it, and repent of their sins, and reform; but this method he was pleased to take, as being, humanly speaking, a probable one to awaken their attention, and which would leave them inexcusable: that they may return every man from his evil way;
repent of it, and reform: that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin;
by not inflicting on them the punishment and ruin threatened: where repentance is, remission of sin is likewise, and both are the gifts of divine grace, when spiritual and evangelical.

Jeremiah 36:3 In-Context

1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD , saying,

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 .

Cross References

• 1. Jeremiah 26:3; Jeremiah 36:7; Ezekiel 12:3
• 2. Deuteronomy 30:2, 8; 1 Samuel 7:3; Isaiah 55:7; Jeremiah 18:8, 11; Jeremiah 35:15; Jonah 3:8
• 3. Jonah 3:10; Mark 4:12; Acts 3:19