Jeremiah 36:8-10

2. The reading by Baruch (Jeremiah 36:8-10)

TRANSLATION

(8) And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all which Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the scroll the words of the LORD at the house of the LORD. (9) And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people called a fast before the LORD in Jerusalem; and all the people were coming from the cities of Judah into Jerusalem. (10) And Baruch read in the scroll the words of Jeremiah in the presence of all the people in the house of the LORD in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court? at the entrance of the new gate of the house of the LORD.

COMMENTS

As Jeremiah faithfully executed the commands of God, Baruch faithfully carried out the instructions of his master in every detail (Jeremiah 36:8). It was December (the ninth month according to the Jewish reckoning) when the Temple authorities proclaimed a fast and a large host of the inhabitants of Judah flocked to Jerusalem to the Temple (Jeremiah 36:9). Baruch selected the chamber of Gemariah the scribe as the spot from which to read the scroll. He probably stood at the door of this room so that he might be heard by the people milling about in the Temple courts. This Gemariah was brother of Ahikam who was friendly to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:24).[312] Thus Baruch was on friendly territory as he stood in the doorway of the office belonging to Gemariah. This office was located in the higher court at the entry of the new gate of the Lord's house (Jeremiah 36:10). The higher court would be the court of priests which was elevated slightly above the court of the people. The location of the new gate is uncertain.[313] One of the doors of Gemariah's office must have led into the court of the people. It was from this elevated spot which afforded a view over the larger court of the people that Baruch read the scroll.

[312] Another Gemariah is mentioned in Jeremiah 29:3.

[313] Laetsch suggests that the new gate is to be identified with the high, or upper, gate of Benjamin mentioned in Jeremiah 20:2 which was built comparatively late in the time of Jotham (II Kings 16:35).