Jeremiah 36:6-16

6 therefore go you, and read in the scroll, which you have written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD's house on the fast-day; and also you shall read them in the ears of all Yehudah who come out of their cities.

7 It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return everyone from his evil way; for great is the anger and the wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.

8 Barukh the son of Neriyah did according to all that Yirmeyahu the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD's house.

9 Now it happened in the fifth year of Yehoiakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Yehudah, in the ninth month, that all the people in Yerushalayim, and all the people who came from the cities of Yehudah to Yerushalayim, proclaimed a fast before the LORD.

10 Then read Barukh in the book the words of Yirmeyahu in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemaryah the son of Shafan, the Sofer, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people.

11 When Mikhayahu the son of Gemaryah, the son of Shafan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,

12 he went down into the king's house, into the Sofer's chamber: and, behold, all the princes were sitting there, [to wit], Elishama the Sofer, and Delayah the son of Shemayah, and Elnatan the son of `Akhbor, and Gemaryah the son of Shafan, and Tzidkiyahu the son of Hananyah, and all the princes.

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.

Jeremiah 36:6-16 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.