Jeremiah 36:23-24

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Jeremiah 36:20-32

We have traced the roll to the people, and to the princes, and here we are to follow it to the king; and we find, I. That, upon notice given him concerning it, he sent for it, and ordered it to be read to him, Jer. 36:20, 21. He did not desire that Baruch would come and read it himself, who could read it more intelligently and with more authority and affection than any one else; nor did he order one of his princes to do it (though it would have been no disparagement to the greatest of them),... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:23

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 F19 T. Hieros. Moed Katon, fol. 83. 2. 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 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 - הספר בתער bethaar hassopher , "the knife of the scribe," properly enough penknife. And cast it into the fire - To show his contempt for God's words. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 36:23

Verse 23 Here Jeremiah shews how little he had effected; for the king not only cast aside but tore the roll into pieces, and after having torn it, he wished its memory to perish, for he cast it into the fire. This trial must have grievously affected the mind of the Prophet; he had dictated that roll by God’s command; he saw now that all his labor had been in vain. He might then have complained to God that so much labor had been spent without fruit. For why had God bidden the roll to be written,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Jeremiah 36:24

Verse 24 The Prophet now connects doctrine with the narrative, for what we have hitherto seen would be frigid were no instruction added. The Prophet then shews why he had related what we have read of the king’s impious obstinacy. But there is more force in a simple statement than if the Prophet in high-sounding words inveighed against the king and his counsellors; for he speaks here as one astonished; They rent not, he says, their garments, nor feared when they heard threatenings so dreadful.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 36:1-32

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 36:1-32

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 36:20-26

Jehoiakim's penknife, This became a proverbial phrase for religious indifference of the most callous description. Not that Jehoiakim actually cut the roll himself; but Jehudi, who did it, was evidently under his orders. It is a little uncertain as to whether the whole of the manuscript, or a part only, was read; but as "had read" represents an imperfect tease, and the words "till all the roll was consumed" imply a gradual process, it seems more probable that the former was the ease. There... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Jeremiah 36:22-26

The burning of the roll. When the princes informed Jehoiakim of the circumstances connected with the reading of Jeremiah's prophecies, the king sent an attendant, Jehudi, to fetch the roll and read it to him. It has been said that he showed contempt for the Word of God by relegating the reading to a page instead of sending for Baruch. But Baruch had probably escaped to seclusion at the warning of the courtiers (verse 19), and as he had left the roll in other hands, what was more natural... read more

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