Jeremiah 36:22

Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him. THE WINTER-HOUSE - (Amos 3:15, "I will smite the winter-house with the summer-house"). IN THE NINTH MONTH - namely, of the religious year - i:e., November or December. THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE HEARTH - rather, 'the stove [ haa'aach (H254)] was burning before him.' In the East neither chimneys nor ovens are used, but in cold weather a brasen vessel containing burning charcoal; when the wood has burned to embers a cover is placed over the pot, to make it retain the heat....

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!...

Verse Jeremiah 36:22. _WINTERHOUSE_] A warm apartment suited to the season of the year, (_December_,) when in Palestine there is often snow upon the ground, though it does not last long. _A fire on the hearth_-a _pan_ or _brazier_ of burning coals. This is the case to the present day. In cold weather the rich burn wood in brass or earthen pans, placed in any part of the room; the indigent burn sticks on the floor....

THE WINTERHOUSE - A separate portion of the palace was used for residence according to the season (marginal reference). AND THERE WAS A FIRE ON THE HEARTH ... - And the fire-pan burning before them. On the middle of the floor was a brazier containing burning charcoal....

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

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 the same roof, or parts of the same house; only the one might be more airy and cool, and the other more close and warm. Kings had their summer and winter houses; see Amos 3:15; this circumstance is mentioned for the sake of what follows, the burning of

NINTH MONTH That is, December....

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

ON THE HEARTH. in the brasier: i.e. the vessel into which the burning charcoal was put from the hearth in houses of the better sort....