And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah ,.... Eighteen years before the destruction of Jerusalem: that this word came unto Jeremiah from the Lord ; the following order to write in a roll all his prophecies he had hitherto delivered: saying ; as follows: read more
And it came to pass in the fourth year - About the end of this year, see Jeremiah 36:9 . This discourse also bears its own date, and was probably delivered at a time when the people enjoyed peace, and were about to celebrate one of their annual fasts. read more
Verse 1 The Prophet relates in this chapter a history worthy of being remembered, and very useful to us; for he says that he wrote down by God’s command what he had previously taught in the Temple, and also that he sent that summary by Baruch to be recited in the Temple, that the report of this spread, and that the king’s counsellors called to them Baruch, and that when they heard what was written in the volume, they brought word to the king, having, however, first admonished Baruch to conceal... read more
The writing of the roll. I. WHO WERE ENGAGED IN THE WRITING OF THE ROLL ? 1 . God . (a) he will bless the right reading of the Bible, and (b) he will call us to account for the use we make of it. 2 . Jeremiah. God does not speak to mankind by a direct and audible voice as with the thunder tones of Sinai. He speaks through an instrument—a man, a prophet. And this prophet is plainly not just a mechanical mouthpiece to the Divine voice. His personality... read more
( Vide Jeremiah 30:1-3 .)—M. read more
CHAPTERS 36-38. NARRATIVE OF EVENTS PRECEDING THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM . Jeremiah 36:1-32 . THE ROLL OF PROPHECY DESTROYED BY JEHOIAKIM . Now, it is remarkable, and points the way to a solution of the problem, that Jeremiah 25:1-38 . is said ( Jeremiah 25:1 ) to have been written in the very same year to which the narrative before us refers, and that it is mainly concerned with the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar and its consequences (indeed, entirely... read more
Hearers of God's Word. This chapter brings before us an instructive variety of these hearers. I. SUCH AS THE PROPHET . To him and such as he the Word of God came, and was received with reverent submission and diligently obeyed at all costs. They could say, "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." II. SUCH AS THE PEOPLE GENERALLY . ( Jeremiah 36:10 .) The mass seemed unaffected. We do not read of their being in any wise wrought upon by what they had heard. But... read more
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim - See Jeremiah 25:1 note. The present chapter belongs to the very end of that year. The capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar took place early in Jehoiakim’s fourth year, long before the writing of Jehoiakim’s scroll. The humiliation seems to have sunk deeply into the heart of Jehoiakim, and when Jeremiah prophesied extended dominion to the Chaldaeans Jeremiah 36:29, his anger knew no bounds. It was the fact that judgment had begun which made it expedient to... read more
Jeremiah 36:1. And it came to pass, &c. Jeremiah here inserts a history of some things which related to, or had a connection with, his prophecies; (as we find Isaiah did with regard to his;) and, accordingly, we are here informed how they came to be written, namely, by the express order of God, that they might stand upon record before the things foretold came to pass; so that there might be no room to say he had never prophesied such and such things, or that the prophecies were made... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 36:1-8
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. 2:9, 10; 3:1. Here, in the latter end of Jeremiah's prophecy, we meet with a roll written in fact, for discovery of the things contained therein to the people, who were to hear and give heed to them; for the written word and other good books are of great use both to ministers and people. We have here, I.... read more