Bible Commentaries
Jeremiah 36

Verses 1-32

Events Connected with the Collection of Jeremiah’s Prophecies into a Volume (4th and 5th years of Jehoiakim)

The prophecies concerning Israel and Judah are now ended, and we have here the record of the embodying in a permanent form by Jeremiah of the substance of these prophecies. For further remarks see Intro.

2. A roll of a book] Several skins were stitched together and attached to a roller of wood. The writing was arranged in columns parallel to the roller, so that as the parchment was gradually unfolded the successive columns could be read.

4. Baruch] the prophet’s companion and assistant already mentioned (Jeremiah 32:12.).

5. Shut up] not meaning imprisoned (with which Jeremiah 36:19 would be inconsistent), but hindered perhaps by the extreme unpopularity of his recent utterances.

9. In the ninth month] our December. It was thus a specially appointed fast, not that of the seventh month which alone was prescribed by the Law (Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 23:27).

10. Gemariah] he was brother of Ahikam (see Jeremiah 26:24), who was friendly to Jeremiah and distinct from Gemariah of Jeremiah 29:3.

11. When Michaiah.. had heard] As it was in the chamber of Michaiah’s father that Baruch had been allowed to read the roll, Gemariah, who was engaged at a council of the leading men in another room, would naturally be desirous to learn as soon as might be what had occurred.

12. Went down] see on Jeremiah 22:1. Elnathan] mentioned in Jeremiah 26:22.

15. Sit down] Baruch was invited to take the position ordinarily assumed by an Eastern teacher. This together with Jeremiah 36:19 shows that the princes were favourably disposed towards Jeremiah.

17. How didst thou write, etc.] They desired to know how much was Baruch’s own that they might be able to state to the king the amount of responsibility that rested upon each.

22. The winter-house] a separate portion of the palace, as appears from Amos 3:15. On the hearth] RV ’in the brasier’: so in Jeremiah 36:23. Braziers containing charcoal were placed in a depression in the middle of a room for warming purposes.

23. Leaves] RM ’columns’: see on Jeremiah 36:2. He] i.e. the king.

24. They were not afraid.. neither the king, etc.] Contrast with this the conduct of the king’s father Josiah when the newly discovered Book of the Law was read to him (2 Kings 22:11).

29. Shall certainly come, etc.] fulfilled in the time of Jehoiakim’s son, Jehoiachin, and finally when Zedekiah was carried captive.

30. He shall have none to sit, etc.] for his son was carried captive in three months from his accession: cp. Jeremiah 22:30. His dead body, etc.] see on Jeremiah 22:19.

32. The substance of the second roll is doubtless to a large extent preserved to us in this book.