Jeremiah 36

Jeremiah 36

The big picture

Jeremiah 36 opens in verse 1 with “And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 16 with “Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and…”, and closes in verse 32 with “Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah…” Repeated or prominent terms include king, words, Baruch, LORD, roll. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.

Scripture beside the summary

Jeremiah · King James Version · 32

Jeremiah 36:1-8

1–8: It came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king…

Jeremiah 36:1–8 opens with “And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this…” and reaches “And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 36 develops its own movement around king, words, Baruch, LORD, roll, with particular weight carried by LORD, Jeremiah, Baruch.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every…” Naming Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD :” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.

“It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD , and will return every one from his evil way: for…” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.

Jeremiah 36:1-8

King James Version

1And 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.

Jeremiah 36:9-16

9–16: It came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of…

Jeremiah 36:9–16 opens with “And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth…” and reaches “Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 36 develops its own movement around king, words, Baruch, LORD, roll, with particular weight carried by Baruch, ears, people.

Context that brings the passage to life

“And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.

“When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of the LORD ,” Naming Gemariah and Michaiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.” Naming Baruch and Michaiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.” Naming Baruch and Sit keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Jeremiah 36:9-16

King James Version

9And 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.

Jeremiah 36:17-24

17–24: They asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these…

Jeremiah 36:17–24 opens with “And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?” and reaches “Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 36 develops its own movement around king, words, Baruch, LORD, roll, with particular weight carried by king, words, Baruch.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.” Naming Baruch and Jeremiah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.

Jeremiah 36:17-24

King James Version

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.

20And 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.

Jeremiah 36:25-32

25–32: Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to…

Jeremiah 36:25–32 opens with “Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would…” and reaches “Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jeremiah 36 develops its own movement around king, words, Baruch, LORD, roll, with particular weight carried by king, roll, Jeremiah.

Context that brings the passage to life

This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.

“Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but…” Naming Delaiah and Elnathan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote…” Naming Jeremiah and Baruch keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

“And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD ; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.

“And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the…” Naming Jerusalem and Judah keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.

Jeremiah 36:25-32

King James Version

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.

Details worth noticing

32verses in this reading
4major movements
6verses with speech
2questions in the KJV text

The opening image

Jeremiah 36:1 begins with “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,”

Where the chapter turns

Jeremiah 36:16 forms a natural hinge: “Now 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…”

The final note

Jeremiah 36:32 leaves the reader with “Then 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…”

A word trail through the chapter

The words king, words, Baruch, LORD, roll, Jeremiah help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.

Why include a long chapter about Esau?

Genesis traces neighboring peoples as relatives with real histories, even while following Jacob's covenant line.

What political development receives attention?

Edom has chiefs and a sequence of kings before Israel's monarchy.

KJV words made clear

unto
to
thee
you
thou
you
hath
has
spake
spoke

Text first

Where readers differ

The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.

The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.

Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.