Jeremiah 36:1-32

Jeremiah 36. The Writing of the Roll. This chapter narrates how the oral prophecies of Jeremiah were first put into writing (604 B.C.). The account is obviously important for the criticism of this book see Introduction, § 4, for the probable contents of the roll. The circumstances also throw light on the origin of written prophecy in general; the failure of the oral testimony (Jeremiah 36:3 cf. Isaiah 8:1; Isaiah 8:16; Isaiah 30:8) led to its preservation through writing. The pioneers amongst the so-called literary prophets are not primarily writers at all; the written records of their work are largely incidental, a fact which helps to explain the fragmentary and complex character of much of the prophetic literature, due, as it largely is, to the work of disciples. On Hebrew writing materials, see the article, Writing by Kenyon, in HDB.

Jeremiah 36:1 (The first roll written). Jeremiah is told to write down his prophecies of the last twenty-two years (Jeremiah 25:1; Jeremiah 25:3) relating to Jerusalem (so read with LXX for Israel in Jeremiah 36:2), Judah, and the nations, in the hope that Judah may yet repent (Jeremiah 26:3). Accordingly, he dictates them to Baruch (Jeremiah 32:12, and see Introduction), and tells him to read them publicly in the Temple on a fast day (Jeremiah 36:6 mg.), since he is unable to go there himself. Baruch does this (Jeremiah 36:8 summarises the following narrative, Jeremiah 36:9).

Jeremiah 36:5. I am restrained, mg. : this cannot mean imprisoned in view of Jeremiah 36:19; it may refer to ceremonial uncleanness (cf. 1 Samuel 21:7; Nehemiah 6:10), or, perhaps, to a restraint through the prophetic spirit.

Jeremiah 36:9 (The roll read and destroyed). In the winter (Nov.- Dec.) of the following year, Baruch uses the opportunity of a fast to read the roll in the room of Gemariah. Its contents are reported to the princes in the secretary's room at the palace (below the Temple, Jeremiah 26:10), and they send for Baruch to read it again to them. They are alarmed by it, and decide that the king must be told. They ask how it came to be written, and Baruch replies that it was dictated to him. They tell him to go into hiding with his master, and they go to Jehoiakim; he sends for the roll, and hears it in his winter house (Amos 3:15), sitting by the fire. When three or four columns (Jeremiah 36:23 mg.) of the roll have been read, the king repeatedly cuts them off, and throws them into the fire, till all has been read and burnt. This he does in spite of the entreaty of some of those in attendance (which stood beside the king, Jeremiah 36:21; cf. Judges 3:19). The king sends in vain to arrest the prophet and his secretary.

Jeremiah 36:9. a fast: some special day of humiliation; cf. 2 Samuel 12:22; 1 Kings 21:27; Zechariah 7:5.

Jeremiah 36:10. Gemariah: son of the Shaphan of 2 Kings 22:3 ff., and brother of the Ahikam of Jeremiah 26:24.

Jeremiah 36:16. Omit unto Baruch with LXX.

Jeremiah 36:17. Omit at his mouth with LXX.

Jeremiah 36:20. court should perhaps be emended into chamber or cabinet (cf. 1 Kings 1:15), in view of Jeremiah 36:22.

Jeremiah 36:23. The tenses denote repeated action.

Jeremiah 36:26. king's son: royal prince.

Jeremiah 36:27 (The second roll written). Since the king has destroyed the first roll, owing to its anticipation of a successful Babylonian invasion (Jeremiah 25:9 f.), Yahweh announces that the king shall leave no successor to his throne (as a matter of fact, his son Jehoiachin succeeded him for three months only; cf. Jeremiah 37:1), and shall lie unburied (Jeremiah 22:19), whilst the evils foretold for the people shall come upon them. Jeremiah is to rewrite all that was written; he does this (through Baruch) on a second roll, with many additions.