Jeremiah 36:20-32

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 36:20

And they went in to the king into the court ,.... The inner court, the king's court, where he usually resided; though very probably they did not rush in at once; but first sent to know whether the king could be spoke with, or would admit them, they having something to communicate to him; which they might do by the person in waiting, by whom they were introduced: but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe ; they did not take it with them, but left it in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:21

So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll ,.... The same person the princes sent to Baruch to come to them, and bring the roll with him, Jeremiah 36:14 . This the king did, out of curiosity, and to satisfy himself of the truth of what the princes said; and by this it appears they had told him of the roll, which contained what they had given him a summary of, and where it was: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber ; or, "out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe"; who knew... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:22

Now the king sat in the winter house, in the ninth month ,.... The month Cisleu, which answers to part of November, and part of December; and so was the midst of winter, and a proper time for the king to be in his winter house; though, as this was a fast day, it would have been more proper for him to have been at the worship of God in the temple, Jeremiah 36:9 . This winter house probably was a winter parlour, as distinguished from a summer parlour, Judges 3:20 ; and both might be under... 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:25

Nevertheless, Elnathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah ,.... Three of the five princes mentioned in Jeremiah 36:12 ; had made intercession to the king, that he would not burn the roll ; or suffer it to be burnt; this they did either at first, as soon as the roll was brought, that if the king should not like it, yet they besought him that he would not destroy it; or rather when they saw what Jehudi was going to do with it, either by the express order, or at the connivance of the king; then... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:26

But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech ,.... Or, "the king's son", as the Targum; though it rather seems to be the proper name of a person, one of the king's servants; since it is not probable he would send his own son on such an errand; and had he, he would rather have been called his own son than the king's son; besides, Jeconiah, who succeeded him, seems to be his eldest son, and yet he now could not be more than twelve years of age; whereas this Jerahmeel must be a man... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:27

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah ,.... In the place where he was hid; the Lord knew where he was, for he hid him, and therefore could send his word to him: after the king had burnt the roll ; either with his own hands, or had ordered it to be burnt, or connived at the burning of it: and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah ; hence the Jews F21 T. Bab. Moed Katon, fol. 26. 1. gather, that when a man sees the book of the law burnt, that he is bound to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Jeremiah 36:28

Take thee again another roll ,.... Or a piece of parchment; or rather several pieces of parchment glued or rolled up together: and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burnt ; just as when the two tables of the law were broken, two others were made, and the same laws written on them; and so here the same Spirit of God, which brought to the mind of the prophet all his former discourses and prophecies, so that he could readily... read more

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