Chapter 36
Jeremiah’s book
Lecture 1
Jeremiah writes a book
36:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word from the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying:
36:2 take the scroll of the book, and write in it all the words which I have spoken to you against Israel, and Judah, and against all the nations, from the day when I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until this day.
36:3 For perhaps when the house of Judah hears all the evil which I think to do to them, each one will return from his own wicked way, and I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin.
36:4 Jeremiah, therefore, called Baruch, the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote, from the mouth of Jeremiah, all the words which the Lord had spoken unto him in the scroll of the book.
189 . Here, the description of the writing is given first;
second, the destruction of the writing, at now the king was sitting in the winter-house (Jer 36:22);
third, its restoration, at and the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah (Jer 36:27).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First, he gives the command to write: take the scroll . Write the vision and make it plain upon tablets, that he who reads it may run over it (Hab 2:2).
Second, he gives the fruit of the writing: for perhaps when the house of Judah . If the wicked man repents from all his sins which he has done, and shall keep all my commandments, and execute judgment and justice, he shall surely live, and not die (Ezek 33:19).
Third, the minister of the writing: Jeremiah, therefore, called Baruch . Write what you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia (Rev 1:11).
Lecture 2
The scroll read in the temple
36:5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying: I am imprisoned, and cannot enter the house of the Lord .
36:6 Therefore, you shall go, and read from the scroll in which you have written the words of the Lord from my mouth, while the people listen in the house of the Lord , on the fast day; and also you shall read to them in the hearing of all Judah, that come out of their cities.
36:7 It may be that they present their petition before the Lord , and each one turn from his own wicked way; for it is a great fury and indignation which the Lord has spoken against this people.
36:8 And Baruch, the son of Neriah, did according to all which Jeremiah commanded him when he read the words of the Lord from the scroll in the house of the Lord .
36:9 Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Israel, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast in the sight of the Lord for all the people in Jerusalem, and for the whole multitude which had come from the cities of Judah.
36:10 And Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll in the house of the Lord , in the treasury of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper vestibule, in the opening of the new gate of the house of the Lord , in the hearing of all the people.
190 . Here, the declaration is first given to the people;
second, to the princes, at and when Micaiah had heard (Jer 36:11);
third, to the king, at therefore, when they had heard all the words (Jer 36:16).
Concerning the former, first, the command to announce is given: I am imprisoned . Labor like a good soldier of Christ Jesus (2 Tim 2:3). That more of the brothers in the Lord, trusting in my chains, may dare more abundantly to speak the word of God without fear (Phil 1:14).
Second is given the manner of announcing with regard to place: in the house of the Lord , which is a place of devotion. My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples, says the Lord God (Isa 56:7). With regard to the time: on the fast day , which is a time of contrition. Is this not rather the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the bundles which oppress, to let those who are broken go free, and to break every burden. To break your bread to those who are hungry and needy, and to bring the homeless into your house. When you see one who is naked, to cover him, and to despise not your own flesh (Isa 58:6–7). With regard to the listeners: while the people listen . With regard to those who have come to the city: and also in the hearing of all Judah, that come out of their cities .
Third, he gives the fruit of the declaration when he speaks of its usefulness: it may be that they present their petition before the Lord , that is, it may be accepted. And their subsequent holiness: and each one turn from his own wicked way; for it is a great fury and indignation . The great wrath of the Lord is kindled against us, because our fathers hearkened not to the words of this book, to do all that was written to us (2 Kgs 22:13).
Fourth, the fulfillment of the commandment is given, with regard to action: and Baruch did . Obey those who are set over you, and be subject to them (Heb 13:17).
With regard to time: now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim . Sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the young, and those who suck at the breast (Joel 2:15).
With regard to place: and Baruch read . . . in the opening of the new gate , which Joash had made (2 Chron 27:3). In the upper vestibule , that is, in the upper part of the courtyard, in which the priests would offer sacrifice. They read in the scroll of the Lord their God four times in the day, and four times in the night (Neh 9:3).
Lecture 3
Baruch reads to the princes
36:11 And when Micaiah, the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the Lord from the book,
36:12 he went down to the house of the king, to the treasury of the scribe, and behold, all the princes were seated there: Elishamah 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.
36:13 And Micaiah related to them all the words which he had heard, while Baruch was reading from the scroll in the hearing of the people.
36:14 All the princes, therefore, sent Jehudi, the son of Nathaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, ‘Take the scroll, from which you read in the hearing of the people, in your hand, and come.’ Therefore, Baruch, the son of Neriah, took the scroll in his hand, and came to them.
36:15 And they said to him, ‘Sit, and read these things in our ears.’ And Baruch read in their ears.
36:16a Therefore, when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear each one to his neighbor,
191 . Here, the declaration to the princes is given.
First, concerning the writing of the prophecy and the making known of its meaning to the princes: and Micaiah related to them . Let him who hears say: come (Rev 22:17).
Second, the petition for the writing: all the princes, therefore, sent . . . to Baruch, saying, ‘Take the scroll, from which you read in the hearing of the people, in your hand’ —mystically, in operation. Whatsoever your hand is able to do, do it with earnestness; for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in the underworld, to which you are hastening (Eccl 9:10). The bringing: therefore, Baruch took .
Third is given the recitation of the writing: and they said to him, ‘Sit, and read these things in our ears.’ For I have not shunned to declare the whole plan of God to you (Acts 20:27).
And the effect of the reading: therefore, when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear . Above: are not my words like fire, says the Lord , and like a hammer breaking down the rock? (Jer 23:29).
Lecture 4
The scroll read to the king
36:16b and they said to Baruch, ‘We must tell the king all these words.’
36:17 And they inquired of him, saying, ‘Tell us, how did you write all these words from his mouth?’
36:18 And Baruch said to them, ‘He spoke with his mouth as though reading to me all these words, and I wrote them in the scroll with ink.’
36:19 And the princes said to Baruch, ‘Go and hide yourself, and Jeremiah, and let no man know where you are.’
36:20 And they went in unto the king in the courtyard; but they had deposited the scroll in the treasury of Elishamah the scribe, and they told all the words in the hearing of the king.
36:21 And the king sent Jehudi that he might take the scroll, who, taking it from the treasury of Elishamah the scribe, read it in the hearing of the king, and of all the princes who stood around the king.
192 . Here, the declaration to the king is given.
First, he speaks of the preparation of the declaration, for they set forth the proposal to declare: we must tell , because he is able to correct the sins of the people. The king who sits upon the throne of judgment scatters every evil thing with his gaze (Prov 20:8).
They examine the manner in which the book was written; for this reason, a question is first posed: and they inquired of him, saying, ‘Tell us, how did you write all these words from his mouth?’ so that from the manner they might know whether the writing had been produced by the Spirit of God. Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they be of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
And the response is given: and Baruch said to them, ‘He spoke with his mouth as though reading,’ without hesitation or premeditation. Do not consider how, or what you are to say, for it will be given to you in that hour what you are to say; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you (Matt 10:19). Above: behold I have given my words in your mouth (Jer 1:9).
And the advice to hide is given: hide , fearing the obstinacy and cruelty of the king. Has it not been told to you my lord what I did, when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, that I hid of the prophets of the Lord a hundred men, by fifties in caves, and fed them with bread and water? And now you say, ‘Go and say to your lord, “Elijah is here,” ’ that he may kill me? (1 Kgs 18:13–14).
Second, the declaration is given: and they went in . To you, therefore, O kings, that you should learn wisdom, lest you perish (Wis 6:10).
Third, the recitation of the text is given: and the king sent Jehudi ; and when I sat as a king with his army round about, I was nonetheless a comforter of those who mourn (Job 29:25).
Lecture 5
The king burns the book
36:22 Now the king was sitting in the winter-house, in the ninth month, and there was set before him a brazier filled with coals.
36:23 And when Jehudi had read three or four columns, he cut it with the knife of a scribe, and cast it into the fire which was upon the brazier, until the whole scroll should be consumed by the fire that was on the brazier.
36:24 And the king and all his servants, who had heard all these words, were not afraid, neither did they rend their garments.
36:25 Moreover, Elnathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king, that he should not burn the book, but he did not listen to them.
193 . Here is given the destruction of the text, and concerning this, there are two points.
First is given the destruction of the text;
second, the persecution of the authors, at and the king commanded Jerachmiel (Jer 36:26).
Concerning the former, there are three points.
First is given the disposition for destruction: in the winter-house, there was set before him a brazier filled with coals , for because of his luxurious habits, he had special houses for winter and summer. I shall strike the winter house with the summer house, and the ivory houses shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed (Amos 3:15).
Second, the destruction is given: and when Jehudi had read three columns , small pages; with the knife , with which a quill is prepared. Take the way from me, turn the path from me, let the Holy One of Israel cease from before us (Isa 30:11).
And so they did what they ought not to have done, and omitted also to do what they ought. And the king and all his servants were not afraid , after the example of Josiah. When the king had heard the words of the book of the Law, he rent his garments (2 Kgs 22:11).
Third, the objection of the princes is mentioned: moreover, Elnathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah had urged the king . Something similar is found in 2 Samuel 24:4, but the word of the king prevailed over the words of Joab, and his princes .
Lecture 6
Baruch and Jeremiah persecuted
36:26 And the king commanded Jerachmiel, the son of Amelech, and Saraiah, the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah, the son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; but the Lord had hidden them.
194 . Here, the persecution of the authors is given:
first, the wicked command: to seize ;
second, the help of God: but the Lord had hidden them and made it so they could not be found. The Lord has kept all their bones, that not one of them should be broken (Ps 33:21).
Lecture 7
Jeremiah rewrites the book
36:27 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written by the mouth of Jeremiah, saying:
36:28 take again another scroll, and write in it all the former words which were in the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burnt.
36:29 And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah: thus says the Lord : you have burned this scroll, saying: why have you written in it, saying: the king of Babylon shall come swiftly, and lay waste this land, and make man and beast to cease from it?
36:30 Therefore, thus says the Lord against Jehoiakim the king of Judah: there shall be no one left of him who may sit upon the throne of David, and has power any more in Judah, and his body will be cast out to the heat by day, and the cold by night.
36:31 And I shall visit his iniquities against him, and against his seed, and against all his servants; and I shall bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah all the evil which I spoke unto them, and they did not listen.
36:32 And Jeremiah took another scroll, and gave it to Baruch, the son of Neriah the scribe, who wrote in it by the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim the king of Judah had burned with fire; and many more words were added than there had been before.
195 . Here, the restoration of the text is described.
First, the command to restore it is given: take again . Above: they shall wage war with you, but will not prevail, for I am with you says the Lord , to deliver you (Jer 1:19).
Second, he threatens death to the one who destroyed it, at and you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah . For this reason, he rebukes him for his sin: you have burned . Destruction shall come suddenly upon the man that with a stiff neck despises him who reproves him, and soundness shall not follow (Prov 29:1).
And he threatens a punishment: therefore, thus says the Lord ; the end of the royal succession: there shall be no one left of him who may sit upon the throne of David, and has power any more in Judah . And the discarding of his body: and his body will be cast out —the burial of an ass. But you have been cast forth from your tomb, like a useless branch, polluted, and wrapped up among those who were slain with the sword, and have gone down to the bottom of the pit, like a rotten corpse (Isa 14:19).
The destruction of his subjects with regard to those of his house: I shall visit his iniquities against him, and against his seed . I shall visit their iniquities with the rod, and with stripes their sins (Ps 88:33). And with regard the others: I shall bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah all the evil . I am the Lord, and there is no other; I make light and create darkness, I make peace and create evil. I the Lord make all these things (Isa 45:7).
Third, he gives the fulfilling of the commandment: and Jeremiah took another scroll . Wisdom conquers evil (Wis 7:30).