Yirmeyah 36:12

12 Then he went down into the Bais HaMelech, into the lishkah of the sofer, and, hinei, all the sarim sat there, even Elishama the sofer, and Delayahu Ben Shemayahu, and Elnatan Ben Achbor, and Gemaryah Ben Shaphan, and the sarim (officials).

Yirmeyah 36:12 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 36:12

Then he went down into the king's house
The royal palace, which was not upon the mountain on which the temple stood, but lay lower, and therefore Micaiah is said to go down to it; with what design he went thither is not certain, whether out of ill will to Jeremiah and Baruch, or out of good will, being affected with what he had heard, and desirous that some steps might be taken by the government to prevent the calamities coming upon them, according to these prophecies; which latter seems most probable, since no charge or accusation is brought by him; and since his father, with others, to whom he gave the account afterwards, interceded with the king that the roll might not be burnt, ( Jeremiah 36:25 ) ; however, immediately after he had heard the roll read, he went to the king's house: into the scribe's chamber;
the secretary's office; formerly his grandfather Shaphan's, now Elishama's: and, lo, all the princes sat there;
some of them are mentioned by name: [even] Elishama the scribe;
or secretary; the prime minister, the principal secretary of state, and therefore named first, in whose chamber or office they were: and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah;
who this person was, or his office, is not known; he is nowhere else made mention of; and who his father was is not certain: and Elnathan the son of Achbor;
the same that Jehoiakim sent to Egypt to fetch Uriah from thence, ( Jeremiah 26:22 ) ; and Gemariah the son of Shaphan:
who was Micaiah's father, and in whose chamber Baruch read the roll: and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah;
of this prince also no account is given elsewhere: and all the princes;
the rest of them, who were either members of the great sanhedrim, or courtiers; it appears from hence that this court was very profane and irreligious; for though they had proclaimed a fast, to make a show of religion, or at the importunity of the people; yet they did not attend temple worship and service themselves, but were all together in the secretary's office, very probably about political affairs.

Yirmeyah 36:12 In-Context

10 Then Baruch read from the Sefer the Divrei Yirmeyah in the Bais Hashem, in the lishkah (chamber) of Gemaryah Ben Shaphan the sofer, in the khatzer haelyon, at the Petach Sha’ar HeChadash of Bais Hashem, in oznayim kol HaAm.

11 When Michayah Ben Gemaryah, Ben Shaphan, had heard kol Divrei Hashem out of the Sefer,

12 Then he went down into the Bais HaMelech, into the lishkah of the sofer, and, hinei, all the sarim sat there, even Elishama the sofer, and Delayahu Ben Shemayahu, and Elnatan Ben Achbor, and Gemaryah Ben Shaphan, and the sarim (officials).

13 Then Michayah declared unto them all the Devarim that he had heard, when Baruch read the Sefer in the oznayim of HaAm.

14 Therefore all the sarim sent Yehudi Ben Netanyahu Ben Shelemyah Ben Cushi unto Baruch, saying, Bring in thine yad the megilah wherein thou hast read in the oznayim of HaAm, and come. So Baruch Ben Neriyah took the megilah in his yad, and came unto them.