Jeremiah 36

Jeremiah at Gods command causeth Baruch to write his prophesies in a great roll and upon a day of humiliation to read out of it in the house of the Lord before all the people verse1c. this is told to the king princes who presently sent to the Baruch with the roll and before them they report the matter unto king Jojakim 11 who causeth the roll to be fetch and having caused a part of it to be read he cutteth he roll in pieces and casteth it into fire and burneth it though many of the princes discarded him from it 21 He commanded Jeremiah and Baruch to be apprehended which God preventeth 26 Jeremiah at God’s command causeth all these and more such like prophesies to be written again in another roll and foretelleth the king the city and the land his judgments.

1. Also it came to pass in the forth year of Jojakim the son of Josiah [see above chapter 25] king of Judah that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord saying :

2. Take the a roll of a book [the word Sepher which is taken for a book signifieth in general all manner of writings letters patents maps c see above chapter 32,11,12c Deuteronomy 24:1 2Kings 5.5,6 and here a roll of a book may be as to say as a written roll instead of a book serving to be written upon all rolled together see further Ezra 6 on verse 2 hence is the phrase the heavens shall be rolled together as a book Isaiah 34:4 Revelations 6.14 compare Isaiah 8:1]and write upon it all the words that I have spoken unto thee [as above chapter 30.2] concerning Israel and concerning Judah and concerning all the nations from the day that I spake unto thee from the days of Josiah [see above chapter 1.2] unto this day.

3. It may be that those of the house of Judah may hear [Heb the house of Judah will hear]all the evil [of punishment] which I think to do unto them [this serveth to prove the people’s desperate obstinacy who where now so far declined as that they remained no means but threatening of evil]that they may return everyone from his evil way that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin [it may be c it is spoken of the all knowing God after the manner of man to shew acceptable to him true repentance is compare Deuteronomy 5 on verse 29 so also in the word thinking and elsewhere often.]

4. Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Nerija and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord which he spoken unto him upon the roll of a book.

5. And Jeremiah commanded Baruch and said I am detained [or shut up which some understand of some imprisonment or confinement from above chapter 33.1 where some Hebrew word is used but others judging that this doth not well agree with below verse 19 take it for some other impediment as by a special command of God or some outward legal uncleanness or religious vow see Numbers 19.11c 1Samuel 21 on verse 7 Nehemiah 6 on verse 10] I shall not be able to go into the house of the Lord.

6. Therefore go thou thy ways and read in the roll in which thou hast written from thy mouth the words of the Lord before the ears of the people in the house of the Lord upon the fasting day [which they themselves extraordinarily thought to good keep observing doubtless by sundry tokens that God was provoked to anger see below verse 9] and thou shalt also read them below the ears of Judah that came out of their cities [to Jerusalem upon their fasting day as below verse 9.]

7. It may be their supplication will fall down before the Lord’s face [that is it may be they will fall down by humble supplication and prayer or present their supplication before him it may be likewise taken thus that as prayer is said to ascend in respect of faith so may it also justly be said to fall down before the Lord in respect of humility and confession of our unworthiness some take falling for well pleasing gracious acceptable as below chapter 37.20 compare also chapter 38.26 and chapter 42.2,9] and they will return everyone from his evil way and great is the anger and fury which the Lord hath pronounced against this people [that is great are the judgments miseries plagues which they threatened them if they repent not .]

8. And Baruch the son of Nerija did according to what Jeremiah the prophet hath commanded him reading that the book of the word of the Lord in the house of the Lord.

9. For it came to pass in the fifth year of Jojakim the son of Josiah king of Judah in the ninth month [of the year they in called the Ecclesiastical year the month Chisleu or Caslue agreeing with our November and December]that they proclaimed a fast before the face of the Lord to make a confession of sins before him in the house and to entreat him for mercy for which end the fast was very conductible means but how God esteemed the fats of the wicked and of the hypocrites see thereof Isaiah 58:3,4,5c.] to all the people of Jerusalem as also to all the people that came [or were come] from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem .

10. Then read Baruch in the book of the word of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord in the chamber [or at ,or by the chamber see the building of these chabmbers 1 Kings 6:5,6 with the annotate]of Gemaria the son of Saphan the scribe [that is he whom registered the public act of Gods house and the prophesies hat were there read and pronounced as some conceive or the scribe of which see Ezra 7 on verse 6 Hebrew word is otherwise taken on verse 12 where it signifieth the King secretary]in the upper court [otherwise called according to the opinion of some the court of the priest distinct from the great court of congregation that was by it see 2 Chronicles 4 on verse 9but some understand this of the inner and upper part of the court of the people it may that he was in the window of one of the chambers that was in the court and read before the people that were in the court]at the door of the new gate of the house of the Lord [see above chapter 26 on verse 10] before the ears of all the people.

11. Now when Micaja the son of Gamria the son of Saphan had heard out of the book the word of the Lord.

12. Then he went to the kings house into Scribes chamber [that is the kings secretary chamber and into the scribes chamber that is into the secretary’s office chancery or council chamber see 1 Kings 4 on verse3 this scribe is presently called Elisama] and lo all the princes sat there the scribe and Pelaja the son of Semaja and Elnathan [see above chapter 26.22]the son of Achbor and Gemaria [whether this be the same man mentioned above verse 10 in respect of his authority and experience as Ecclesiastical historian or scribe as Ezra was employed in this council or consultation on the fast day or it were another one of the princes whereof some conceive that the chiefest are here named in judicious reader may consider]the son of Saphan and Zedekiah the son the son of Hananja and all the princes.

13. And Micaja made known unto them all the word that he had heard when

14. Then all the princes sent Jehundi the son of Nethanja the son of Selemja the son of Cuschi unto Baruch so say the roll wherein thou hast read before the ears of the people take that in thine hand and come so Baruch the son of Nerija took the roll in his hand and came unto them .

15. And they said unto him sit down now and read it[read the roll that is thou hast written therein] before our ears and Baruch read before their ears.

16. And it came to pass when they heard all the words that they were afraid the one against the other [Heb the men or everyone against the neighbor or companion that is they looked upon one another with fear and amazement the one looked upon the other]and they said unto Baruch we will surely make known all these words unto the king [Or we must wholly c Hebr. We will making known make known c.]

17. And they asked Baruch saying tell us now how didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

18. And Baruch said unto them he read all these unto me out of his mouth [or he called he spake aloudout of his mouth unto me word by word]and I wrote them with ink[the Hebrew word rendered here ink is found in this place]in this book [that is in this write or roll.]

19. Then said the princes unto Baruch go thy ways hide thee thou and Jeremiah and let no man know where ye are.

20. Then went into the king into court[of the kings palace] but they laid away the roll [to wit under some body custody as this phrase is found2Chronicles 12.10or they kept they gave to keep as Levit 6.4 and below chapter 37.21]in the chamber of Elisama the scribe and they told all those words before the ears of the king.

21. Then the king sent Jehundi [of whom above verse 14] to fetch [Heb to take that is to take and bring for which we use to say to fetch see Genesis 12 on verse 15]the roll and he fetched it out of the chamber of Elisama the scribe and Jehudi read it before the ears of the king and before the ears of all prince that stood about the king[or before the king over against him round about him .]

22. Now the king sate in the winter house [as king and other great man had divers withdrawing places as winter houses and summer houses see Judges 3:20 Ezra6.2 Amos 3.15with the annotate]in the ninth month [as above verse 9] and there was a fire on the earth kindled before his face [Heb properly and the earth was kindled or burning before his face that is a fire on the heart some understand a pan o fire full of burning coals on which they burnt wood the Hebrew word is only so found in this place .]

23. And it came to pass when Jehudi had read three or four parcels [Heb doors that is columns for which we now use the word sides or leaves and chapters of a book] he cut it [the king cut the roll in pieces] with a writing knife [Heb. Properly a writer razor that is a pen knife as we call it]and cast it into the fire which was on the heart until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the heart.

24. They were not afraid nor rent their garments [as they were wont to do in sorrow or mourning see Genesis 37 on verse 29 and 2Kings 18 on verse 37 and 19.1 and 22.11but they compiled with the king having forgotten their former remorse verse 16] neither the king nor all his servants [that is none of his officers nor courtier that were about him] that had heard all these words.

25. Nevertheless also Elnathan and Delaja and Gemaria made intercession with the king that he would not burn the roll but he hearkened not unto them [or so he hearkened not indeed unto them.]

26. Moreover the king commanded Jerameel the son of Hamalech [or the kings son that is his own son so below chapter 38.6] and Zeruja the son of Azriel and Selemia the son of Abdeel to apprehend [so is the Hebrew word which otherwise signifieth to take and consequently to fetch also used Proverbs 24.11and below chapter 39.5] Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet but the Lord had hid them.

27. Then the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah after that the king had burnt the roll and the words which Baruch had written on the mouth of Jeremiah saying:

28. Take thee again [Heb. Return take that is take again as often]another roll and write upon it all the first words that are upon the first roll which Jojakim the king of Judah hath burnt.

29. And thou shalt say[meaning hereafter in time to come for as much as he was in time by advice of princes and the care of God for him hidden see verse 19.26 but God could easily when he pleased so restrain the kings pride and cruelty as that he was fain to suffer Jeremiah to come into the presence and to hear him speak unto him]to Jojakim [others of Jojakim that is thou shalt in thy prophesies write of him by command from me] the king of Judah thus saith the Lord thou hast burnt this roll saying [that is thus] the king of Babel shall certainly come [Heb. Coming come.] and destroy this land and shall cause to cease in it man and beasts [Heb. From thence or there from c that is that there shall be no more.]

30. Therefore thus saith the Lord of Jojakim the king of Judah he shall have none to sit upon the throne of David [meaning no son to succeed him in the kingly government for this Jechonia or Jojakim reigned but three months which can not be counted as sitting and was then carried away to Babel 2Kings 24.8,12and Zedekiah who succeeded in his room was not Jojakim’s son but his brother being called before Mattania 2Kings 24.17]and his dead body shall be cast away in the day to the heat in the night to the frost [compare above chapter 22 verse 19 with the annotate.]

31. And I will visit [that is punish see Genesis 21on verse1] upon him and upon his seed upon his servants [as above verse 24] their iniquity and I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the man of Judah and all the evil that I have spoken unto them [and which was contained in the former roll] but they hearkened not.

32. then Jeremiah took another roll and gave it to Baruch the scribe the son of Nerija who wrote thereupon from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jojakim the king of Judah hath burnt with fire and they added unto them many like words.