Jeremiah 36:20

And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king. IN THE CHAMBER OF ELISHAMA. There were chambers in the king's palace round the court or great hall, as in the temple (). The roll was "laid up" there for safe keeping, with other public records....

The Prophet now relates that the princes went to the king, after having first deposited the roll with Elishama the scribe; for as the king’s ears were tender, they were unwilling to perform at once so odious an office. And thus they who are with kings, and engage their attention, fascinate them with their flatteries; for there is in courts no independence, for the greatest flatterer is the highest in favor. As, then, all courtiers seek eagerly to find out how they may please kings, so they carefully beware lest they should offend them. This was the reason why the princes deposited the roll with Elishama. We hence learn that their regard for God was small and frigid; for if they believed that Jeremiah had dictated to his scribe what he had received from the Spirit of God, the offending of the king ought not certainly to have been deemed by them of so much moment. Why, then, did they not v...

20-32 Those who despise the word of God, will soon show, as this king did, that they hate it; and, like him, they would wish it destroyed. See what enmity there is against God in the carnal mind, and wonder at his patience. The princes showed some concern, till they saw how light the king made of it. Beware of making light of God's word!...

THE COURT - i. e., The inner quadrangle of the palace, in which was the royal residence. THEY LAID UP THE ROLL - They left the scroll in charge, i. e., in the care of someone....

CHAPTERS 36-38. NARRATIVE OF EVENTS PRECEDING THE SIEGE OF JERUSALEM. Jeremiah 36:1. THE ROLL OF PROPHECY DESTROYED BY JEHOIAKIM. EXPOSITION In the fourth year of Jehoiakim (which, it is important to remember, was the first of Nebuchadnezzar) Jeremiah was directed to write down all his previous revelations, from the beginning of his ministry to the present day. Such, at least, is the literal meaning of verses 1, 2; but it would seem that the literal meaning can hardly be the right one. First of all, a historically accurate reproduction of the prophecies would not have suited Jeremi

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 secretary's office; and, no doubt, put it up safe in some chest or scrutoire, as something valuable, and not to be exposed to everyone; or to be thrown about, torn, or trampled on, as a book of no use and value: very probably it was with the consent of Baruch that it was left with them: and this was a point of prudence in them not to take it with them when they went to the king: AND TOLD ALL THE WORDS IN THE EARS O...

CHAPTER 36 The Indestructibility of the Word of God _ 1. The writing of the roll (Jeremiah 36:1) _ 2. The reading of the roll (Jeremiah 36:4) 3. The king cuts and burns the roll (Jeremiah 36:21) 4. The indestructibility of the Word of God (Jeremiah 36:27) Jeremiah 36:1. Once more we are taken back to the fourth year of Jehoiakim. Jeremiah is now commanded to commit all the words Jehovah had spoken to him to writing. It was for the purpose that the people might hear of all the evil and

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 f

See introd. summary to the chapter....

C. The Word Attacked Jeremiah 36:20-26 TRANSLATION (20) Then they went unto the king in the court, having deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elisham a the scribe, and they report all the words to the king. (21) And the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he brought it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the presence of the king and all the princes who were standing alongside the king. (22) Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, and a brazier was burning before him. (23) And it came to pass, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, he ripped it with a scribe's knife and cast it into the fire which was upon the brazier, until the whole scroll was consumed by the brazier fire. (24) And they did not tremble nor rend their clothes, neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words. (25) Thoug