Jeremiah 36:23

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

²⁰So the officials went to the king in the courtyard. And having stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, they reported everything to the king. ²¹The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who were standing beside him. ²²Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters with a fire burning before him. ²³And as soon as Jehudi had read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut them off with a scribe's knife and throw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll had been consumed by the fire.²⁴Yet in hearing all these words, the king and his servants did not become frightened or tear their garments. ²⁵Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. ²⁶Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, as well as Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them. ²⁷After the king had burned the scroll with the words Baruch had written at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁸"Take another scroll and rewrite on it the very words that were on the original scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah has burned. ²⁹You are to proclaim concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah that this is what the LORD says: You have burned the scroll and said, 'Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon would surely come and destroy this land and deprive it of man and beast?'

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he cut: Jeremiah 36:29-31, Deuteronomy 29:19-21, 1 Kings 22:8, 1 Kings 22:27, Psalms 50:17, Proverbs 1:30, Proverbs 5:12, Proverbs 13:13, Proverbs 19:21, Proverbs 21:30, Proverbs 29:1, Isaiah 5:18, Isaiah 5:19, Isaiah 28:14, Isaiah 28:15, Isaiah 28:17-22, Revelation 22:19

Reciprocal: Numbers 25:6 - in the sight of Moses 2 Kings 23:37 - he did 2 Chronicles 21:12 - a writing 2 Chronicles 34:27 - didst rend Psalms 119:161 - my heart Isaiah 66:5 - ye that Jeremiah 2:19 - and that my Jeremiah 28:10 - took Jeremiah 36:4 - upon Jeremiah 36:27 - General Micah 2:3 - go Zechariah 1:4 - but Mark 14:63 - his

Cross-References

1 Chronicles 1:40
The sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves,.... Either three or four of the breadths of parchment, which were glued together, and rolled up; or three or four of the columns in those breadths. The meaning is, he had read a few of them. The Rabbins s would have it, that three or four verses in the book of the Lamentations are meant:

he cut it with the penknife; that is, he cut the roll to pieces with a penknife he had in his hand, or lay near him. It is difficult to say who it was that did this; whether Jehudi that read the roll, or Jehoiakim the king that heard it; most interpreters understand it of the latter; but the connection of the words carries it to the former; for the nearest antecedent to the relative he is Jehudi; though it is highly probable he did it at the king's command; or, however, saw by his countenance and behaviour that such an action would be grateful to him; and that he was highly displeased with what had been read, and could not hear any longer with patience:

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; that is, he cast it into the fire, and there let it lie, until it was wholly consumed; a very impious action, to burn the word of God; a full evidence of an ungodly mind; a clear proof of the enmity of the heart against God, and of its indignation against his word and servants; and yet a vain attempt to frustrate the divine predictions in it, or avert the judgments threatened; but the ready way to bring them on.

s T. Hieros. Moed Katon, fol. 83. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Jeremiah 36:23. When Jehudi had read three or four leaves — Rather columns; for the law, and the sacred Hebrew Books, are written in columns of a certain breadth. דלתות delathoth, signifies gates or openings between column and column, or between section and section.

He cut it with the penknife — בתער הספר bethaar hassopher, "the knife of the scribe," properly enough penknife.

And cast it into the fire — To show his contempt for God's words.