Jeremiah36chapter 36

Jeremiah 36:12

“The scribe’s chamber - The chancery in which the king’s business was conducted. Probably Elishama was one of the “principal scribes of the host” Jer 52:25, i. e., the secretary of state for war. The business which had brought together “all the princes” would have reference to the Chaldaean war.”

Jeremiah 36:14

“Jehudi signifies a Jew and Cushi an Ethiopian, but it seems reasonable to conclude that they are genuine, proper names.”

Jeremiah 36:16

“They were afraid both one and other - literally, “they trembled each to his neighbor,” i. e., they showed their alarm by their looks and gestures one to another. They felt that what he had so consistently prophesied for a period of 23 years would in all probability be fulfilled. We will surely tell - Rather, We must tell the king. It was their official duty.”

Jeremiah 36:16

“They showed some concern till they saw how light the king made of it, and then they shook off all that concern. They rent not their garments, as Josiah, this Jehoiakim's own father, did when he had the book of the law read to him, though it was not so particular as the contents of this roll were, nor so immediately adapted to the present posture of affairs.”

Jeremiah 36:16

“They were all convinced that it was worthy to be regarded, but none of them had courage to second it, only they agreed to tell the king of all these words; and, if he think fit to give credit to them, they will, otherwise not, no, though it were to prevent the ruin of the nation.”

Jeremiah 36:17

“What they wished to know was, whether what Baruch had read to them was written by him from memory after hearing Jeremiah repeating his prophecies continuously, or accurately from the prophet's own dictation.”

Jeremiah 36:18

“He pronounced - He used to say aloud, he dictated. Baruch’s office was merely mechanical. He contributed nothing but hand, pen, and ink.”

Jeremiah 36:22

“Winterhouse - A warm apartment suited to the season of the year, (December), when in Palestine there is often snow upon the ground, though it does not last long. A fire on the hearth - a pan or brazier of burning coals. This is the case to the present day. In cold weather the rich burn wood in brass or earthen pans, placed in any part of the room; the indigent burn sticks on the floor.”

Jeremiah 36:23

“The God of all orders Jeremiah to write the former words in another book. The sheet of paper was burned, but the divine law remained unharmed. So also when the body assumed by the Word suffered, the Word remained free from suffering.”

Jeremiah 36:23

“Leaves - Columns: literally folding-doors; the word exactly describes the shape of the columns of writing upon the scroll. Penknife - “Scribe’s knife;” used to shape the reed for writing, and to make erasures in the parchment. On the hearth - Or, in the fire-pan. The conduct of the king shows how violent was his temper.”

Jeremiah 36:23

"He" refers to the king (Jer 36:22). As often as Jehudi read three or four columns, the king cut asunder the part of the roll read; and so he treated the whole, until all the parts read consecutively were cut and burnt; Jer 36:24, "all these words," implies that the whole volume was read through, not merely the first three or four columns (1Ki 22:8).

Jeremiah 36:24

“Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments,.... They were not struck with horror at such an impious action as the burning of the roll; nor afraid of the judgments and wrath of God threatened in it; nor did they rend their garments in token of sorrow and mourning on account of either, as used to be when anything blasphemous was said or done, or any bad news were brought. The Jews from hence conclude, that whenever a man sees the book of the law torn of cut to pieces, he should rend his garments (t).”

Jeremiah 36:25

“The "nevertheless" aggravates the king's sin; though God would have drawn him back through their intercession, he persisted: judicial blindness and reprobation!”

Jeremiah 36:27-32

“8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the L ORD in the L ORD 's house. In the beginning of Ezekiel's prophecy we meet with a roll written in vision, for discovery of the things therein contained to the prophet himself, who was to receive and digest them, Ezek. ii.”

Jeremiah 36:29

“The king of Babylon ... - These words do not prove that Nebuchadnezzar had not already come, and compelled Jehoiakim to become his vassal. The force lies in the last words, which predict such a coming as would make the land utterly desolate: and this would be the result of the king throwing off the Chaldaean yoke.”

Jeremiah 36:29

“He did so ( 2 Chron. xxxvi. 6, 7 ) in his third year, Dan. i. So that God and his prophets had therefore become his enemies because they told him the truth, told him of the desolation that was coming, but at the same time putting him into a fair way to prevent it.”

Jeremiah 36:30

“Zedekiah was not the son, but the uncle of Jeconiah, and was raised to the throne in contempt of him and his father Jehoiakim (Jer 22:30). dead body . . . cast out-- (Jer 22:18, 19). day . . . heat . . . night . . . frost--There are often these variations of temperature in the East between night and day (Ge 31:40).”

Jeremiah 36:31

“That all the evil pronounced against Judah and Jerusalem in that roll shall be brought upon them. Though the copy be burnt, the original remains in the divine counsel, which shall again be copied out after another manner in bloody characters. Note, There is no escaping God's judgments by struggling with them.”

Jeremiah 36:32

“There were added - many like words - All the first roll, with many other threatening and perhaps more minute declarations which were merely of a temporary importance and local application; and the Holy Spirit did not think proper to record them here.”