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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Jeremiah 36

Jeremiah 36 - Introduction

Jeremiah 36:1-32. Jeremiah's Roll written, read, burnt, and re-written This extremely interesting and important ch., in its bearing on the history of the construction of the Book as it now stands, has been already treated in the Intr. pp. xl. ff. We may summarize the contents as follows. (i) Jerem... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:2

_Take thee a roll of a book_ Several skins were stitched together and attached to a roller of wood at one or both ends. The writing was arranged in columns parallel to the rollers, so that as the parchment was gradually unrolled from one end to the other, the successive columns could be read. Our wo... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:4

_Then Jeremiah called Baruch_ mentioned already (Jeremiah 32:12 f.) as the prophet's attendant. He was grandson of Maaseiah, "governor of the city" (2 Chronicles 34:8) and brother of Seraiah (Jeremiah 51:59).... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:5

_I am shut up_ The same verb occurs chs. Jeremiah 33:1; Jeremiah 39:15, in the sense of _in confinement_. Here, however, it cannot have that force (see Jeremiah 36:19), but simply means that he was hindered from addressing the people by ceremonial uncleanness (cp. 1 Samuel 21:7, where the Hebrew ver... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:6

_the fast day_ mg. _a fast day_, probably one specially appointed on account of the critical position of affairs (Jeremiah 36:9).... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:7

_they will present their supplication_ mg. _their supplication will fall_. The attitude of the petitioners is transferred in thought to the petition. Cp. the phrase in several other places (Jeremiah 37:20; Jeremiah 38:26, etc.), and sometimes (Jeremiah 37:20; Jeremiah 42:2) with the further sense, w... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:8

_And Baruch … did according to all_ This summary statement of the fact that Baruch carried out Jeremiah's commands is followed by the detailed account in Jeremiah 36:9 f.... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:9

_in the ninth month_ afterwards called Chisleu, our December (see Jeremiah 36:22), not therefore the annual solemnity of the seventh month, the only stated fast of the Law (Leviticus 16:29; Leviticus 23:27).... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:10

_Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe_ Shaphan was himself scribe in the days of Josiah (2 Kings 22:3). If this Shaphan be the one mentioned in Jeremiah 26:24, Gemariah was brother of Ahikam, who was friendly to Jeremiah. He is, of course, distinct from the Gemariah mentioned Jeremiah 29:3. _uppe... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:11

_when Micaiah … had heard_ As it was in the chamber of Micaiah's father that Baruch had been allowed to read the roll, Gemariah, engaged at the moment at a council of the princes in another room, would naturally be desirous of learning as soon as might be the particulars of what had occurred.... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:14

_Jehudi … the son of Cushi_ Although the first of these names also means a Jew, and the second an Ethiopian, it is more probable that both are distinctly proper names here. There may, however, still be a reference to Ethiopian descent in the latter name. We may note that it is quite usual in mention... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:15

_Sit down_ These words taken with Jeremiah 36:19 shew that the princes were favourably disposed towards Baruch and Jeremiah. The same fact has been marked already in ch. Jeremiah 26:16. Baruch took the position ordinarily assumed by an Eastern teacher. Cp. Luke 4:20.... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:16

_they turned in fear one toward another_ lit. _they trembled every one to his neighbour_, i.e. they looked at each other and trembled. _unto Baruch_ omit with LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:17

_How didst thou write_ They desired to know how far the words might be Baruch's own, so as to be able to state to the king to what extent, if any, the prophet's amanuensis was responsible. _at his mouth_ omit with LXX, as a gloss spoiling the sense here, and introduced from Jeremiah 36:17.... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:19

_Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah_ See on Jeremiah 36:5. The princes doubtless had before their minds the fate of Uriah (Jeremiah 26:23). The so-called "Grotto of Jeremiah" near the "Quarries of Solomon" outside the Damascus Gate has been conjectured, owing to its traditional association with his na... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:20

_the court_ This would of course be an open place. Cf. Jeremiah 36:22. Read therefore (changing one consonant in MT.) the word which occurs in MT. of 1 Kings 1:15 ("chamber") and render _cabinet_. (So Gi., Du., Co.)... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:22

_in the winter house_ See on Jeremiah 36:9. It was a cold and rainy time of the year (see Ezra 10:9). Amos (Jeremiah 3:15) mentions both winter and summer houses. "In common parlance the lower apartments are simply _el beit_the house; the upper is the _ullîyeh_, which is the summer house. Every resp... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:23

_when Jehudi had read_ rather, as Dr. "as often as J. read"; for Jeremiah 36:24 implies that the king heard all the contents. _leaves_ mg. _columns_, lit. _doors_(see on Jeremiah 36:2). _that_the king _cut it, etc_.] In the absence of a nominative to the verb in MT., it seems at least as natural t... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:26

_the king's son_ mg. (less well) _the son of Hammelech_. It probably means simply one of the royal house. So in Jeremiah 38:6. See A. B. Davidson on Zephaniah 1:8 (C.B.).... [ Continue Reading ]

Jeremiah 36:27-32

See introd. summary to the chapter. Du. and Co. consider that the passage, as it stands, shews traces of a later hand, on the ground that the king is represented as addressing Jeremiah (Jeremiah 36:29), though they did not meet. This, however, seems somewhat hypercritical. It is true that Jeremiah 3... [ Continue Reading ]

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