Jeremiah 36

King James Version

Full text for Jeremiah Chapter 36

1¶ And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, [that] this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

2Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.

3It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

4Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: 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.

5And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I [am] shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:

6Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD'S house upon the fasting day: and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

7It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great [is] the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.

8And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD'S house.

9¶ And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, [that] they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

10Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house, in the ears of all the people.

11When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,

12Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, [even] Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

13Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

14Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.

15And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read [it] in their ears.

16Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.

17And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

18Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote [them] with ink in the book.

19Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.

20¶ And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.

21So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

22Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and [there was a fire] on the hearth burning before him.

23And it came to pass, [that] when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast [it] into the fire that [was] on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that [was] on the hearth.

24Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, [neither] the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

25Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would not hear them.

26But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.

27Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,

28Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

29And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?

30Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

31And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

32Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

The LORD commanded Jeremiah to dictate prophecies of judgment and a call to repentance to Baruch, who wrote them on a scroll. Baruch read this scroll publicly and to the princes, who then brought it before King Jehoiakim. The king defiantly burned the scroll, but the LORD commanded Jeremiah to write another, adding a specific judgment against Jehoiakim for his act.

Medium Summary

In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim, the LORD instructed Jeremiah to record all His words of judgment against Israel, Judah, and the nations on a scroll, hoping for Judah's repentance. Jeremiah dictated these prophecies to Baruch, who diligently wrote them. Jeremiah, being confined, sent Baruch to read the scroll in the Temple during a public fast. Upon hearing the words, Michaiah informed the princes, who, in turn, requested Baruch to read it to them; they were fearful and advised Jeremiah and Baruch to hide. When the scroll was read before King Jehoiakim, he contemptuously cut it with a penknife and burned it in the fire, showing no remorse, despite the pleas of some officials. Consequently, the LORD commanded Jeremiah to create a second scroll, reiterating the original prophecies and adding a specific curse upon Jehoiakim for his act of defiance, including the loss of his dynasty and an ignominious death. Baruch then wrote this new scroll, with additional words.

Long Summary

In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim's reign, the prophet Jeremiah received a divine command to compile all the words the LORD had spoken to him concerning Israel, Judah, and all nations since the days of Josiah onto a scroll. The purpose of this endeavor was the hope that the house of Judah would hear the impending evil and repent, thereby finding forgiveness for their iniquity. Jeremiah enlisted Baruch, the son of Neriah, to serve as his scribe, dictating all the LORD's words which Baruch then meticulously inscribed upon the scroll. As Jeremiah was physically restrained from entering the Temple, he instructed Baruch to read the scroll publicly in the LORD's house during a designated day of fasting, and also to all the people coming from the cities of Judah. Baruch faithfully executed this command, reading the prophetic words in the Temple. Approximately a year later, during another public fast, Baruch again read the scroll in the Temple, specifically in the chamber of Gemariah. Michaiah, Gemariah's son, heard the words and reported them to the assembled princes in the king's house. The princes, upon hearing Michaiah's account, sent for Baruch and requested him to read the scroll to them directly. After Baruch complied, the princes were filled with fear and resolved to inform the king, but first advised Baruch and Jeremiah to conceal themselves. They then went to the king, having placed the scroll in Elishama the scribe's chamber. King Jehoiakim, upon being informed, sent for the scroll. As Jehudi read the scroll before the king and his princes in the winter house, Jehoiakim, after only a few columns were read, took a penknife, cut the scroll, and cast it into the fire on the hearth until it was completely consumed. Neither the king nor his servants showed any fear or sorrow, though some princes interceded against the burning. Following this act of defiance, the LORD spoke to Jeremiah again, commanding him to create a new scroll containing all the words of the first, adding a specific judgment against Jehoiakim: he would have no successor on the throne of David, and his body would suffer exposure to the elements. Furthermore, the LORD declared punishment upon Jehoiakim, his seed, his servants, and the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem for their iniquity and their refusal to hearken. Jeremiah then took another scroll, and Baruch wrote all the former words, with "many like words" added, thus preserving and augmenting the divine message despite the king's attempt to destroy it.

Core Concepts

  • Divine Command and ScribingJeremiah is commanded by the LORD to record all His prophecies on a scroll, a task faithfully executed by his scribe, Baruch, to preserve the divine message.
  • Call to RepentanceThe primary purpose of writing and reading the scroll was to offer the house of Judah an opportunity to hear the warnings of impending judgment and return from their evil ways, thereby receiving forgiveness.
  • Public ProclamationJeremiah, being restricted, sends Baruch to publicly read the scroll in the Temple during a fast day, ensuring the message reaches a wide audience in Jerusalem and Judah.
  • Royal DefianceKing Jehoiakim demonstrates profound contempt for the LORD's word by deliberately cutting and burning the scroll, showing no fear or remorse despite the gravity of the prophecies.
  • Divine Retribution and ReiterationIn response to Jehoiakim's act, the LORD commands Jeremiah to rewrite the entire message on a new scroll, adding a specific, severe judgment against the king for his defiance, including the end of his dynasty.
  • Preservation of God's WordDespite the king's attempt to destroy the prophetic message, the LORD ensures its preservation and even augmentation, demonstrating the unalterable nature of His word.