Commentary on Jeremiah Part 9 (No. F024ix)

Chapter 33

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: ²"Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it--the LORD is his name: ³Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things which you have not known. ⁴For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah which were torn down to make a defense against the siege mounds and before the sword: ⁵The Chalde'ans are coming in to fight and to fill them with the dead bodies of men whom I shall smite in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their wickedness. ⁶Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. ⁷I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. ⁸I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. ⁹And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it. ¹⁰"Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, 'It is a waste without man or beast,' in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again ¹¹the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD: 'Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever!' For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the LORD. ¹²"Thus says the LORD of hosts: In this place which is waste, without man or beast, and in all of its cities, there shall again be habitations of shepherds resting their flocks. ¹³In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephe'lah, and in the cities of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the LORD. ¹⁴"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring forth for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.' ¹⁷"For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, ¹⁸and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to burn cereal offerings, and to make sacrifices for ever." ¹⁹The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁰"Thus says the LORD: If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night will not come at their appointed time, ²¹then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with the Levitical priests my ministers. ²²As the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David my servant, and the Levitical priests who minister to me." ²³The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁴"Have you not observed what these people are saying, 'The LORD has rejected the two families which he chose'? Thus they have despised my people so that they are no longer a nation in their sight. ²⁵Thus says the LORD: If I have not established my covenant with day and night and the ordinances of heaven and earth, ²⁶then I will reject the descendants of Jacob and David my servant and will not choose one of his descendants to rule over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes, and will have mercy upon them."

Intent of Chapter 33

33:1-26 The Messiah as the Branch of the Line of David

33:1 Connecting the previous chapter, and when Jeremiah was shut up in the Court of the Guard. It continues the Book of Consolation but, most powerfully, prophesies the coming of the Messiah as the “Branch” (vv. 14-16).

v. 2 is the liturgical doxology (Am. 4:13; Is. 45:18),

v. 3 God promises that He will answer and reveal things not yet known.

33:4 In siege defense, houses abutting the walls were demolished to aid defense and troop movements (Isa. 22:10).

33:5-9 The Law of God (L1) has to be kept and incurs sin as debt and thus punishment. After punishment comes repentance and healing (3:22; 30:17), forgiveness, and then the city will be to God, peace and joy, and an example to the Nations (13:11; Deut. 26:19).

33:10-11 The theme is that the silence of death (7:34) will be broken by the sounds of life (30:19) and the songs of praise (Ps. 136).

33:12-13 God says that shepherds will again find pasture in a once desolate land (31:12; Ezek. 20:37).

33:14-26 Is considered a commentary on 23:5-6, from the time of Haggai and Zechariah (ca 520 BCE. OARSV n. says “These verses are lacking in the Septuagint”: The reality is that the LXX is vastly different in all verses of 33 and others. See the Brenton translation of the LXX att. In fact the text of Jer. 33:20-24 in the LXX has the texts concerning the execution of Uriah the prophet under Jehoiakim that is contained in 26:20-24 in the MT (RSV and Soncino). Thus indicating a significant rewrite of Jeremiah by the Masoretes after the LXX was translated ca 160 BCE.

vv. 14-18 The text here refers to the righteous “Branch” who will spring forth for David. This is the Messiah and should not be confused with Davidic Rulers of 2Sam. 7:16; 1Kgs. 9:5. The Deuteronomic reference (Deut. 18:1-5) to Levitical priests is also followed up in Ezekiel regarding the function of the Zadokites in the reconstruction of the Temple under Messiah.

v. 16 The new name of Jerusalem is “The Lord is our Righteousness” (see also Isa. 1:26 n.)

vv. 20-21 “These verses show that the covenant with David and his seed, and also the Levites, could not be broken. Any conspiracy to do away with the House of David, such as we see from Isaiah 7:5-6, was prophesied to fail. The prophesied failure was to preserve the kingdom so that Scripture could not be broken. Messiah will return to take up that kingdom in accordance with Daniel 2:35, 44-45.” (see F027ii)

Genealogy of Messiah (No. 119).

33:22 is considered a reinterpretation of Gen. 22:17-18

33:23-26 As night follows day (31:35-37; Gen. 1:5; 8:22). This was God's promise to the patriarchs (comp. Rom. 4:13) and to David and it will be kept.

The text of Ch. 33 in the LXX is found in the MT as Ch. 26 and follows the intent of the LXX translation of the early MT of 160 BCE.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L... (1851)

Chapter 33 ³³:¹ IN THE BEGINNING OF THE REIGN OF KING JOAKIM SON OF JOSIAS THERE CAME THIS WORD FROM THE LORD. ² Thus said the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and thou shalt declare to all the Jews, and to all that come to worship in the house of the Lord, all the words which I commanded thee to speak to them; abate not one word. ³ Peradventure they will hear, and turn every one from his evil way: then I will cease from the evils which I purpose to do to them, because of their evil practices. ⁴ And thou shalt say, Thus said the Lord; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my statutes which I set before you, ⁵ to hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send to you early in the morning; yea, I sent them, but ye hearkened not to me; ⁶ then will I make this house as Selo, and I will make this city a curse to all the nations of all the earth. ⁷ And the priests, and the false prophets, and all the people heard Jeremias speaking these words in the house of the Lord. ⁸ And it came to pass, when Jeremias had ceased speaking all that the Lord had ordered him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the false prophets and all the people took him, saying, ⁹ Thou shalt surely die, because thou hast prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, This house shall be as Selo, and this city shall be made quite destitute of inhabitants. And all the people assembled against Jeremias in the house of the Lord. ¹⁰ And the princes of Juda heard this word, and they went up out of the house of the king to the house of the Lord, and sat in the entrance of the new gate. ¹¹ Then the priests and the false prophets said to the princes and to all the people, The judgment of death is due to this man; because he has prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears. ¹² Then Jeremias spoke to the princes, and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city, all the words which ye have heard. ¹³ And now amend your ways and your works, and hearken to the voice of the Lord; and the Lord shall cease from the evils which he has pronounced against you. ¹⁴ And behold, I am in your hands; do to me as is expedient, and as it is best for you. ¹⁵ But know for a certainty, that if ye slay me, ye bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon them that dwell in it; for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak in your ears all these words. ¹⁶ Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the false prophets; Judgment of death is not due to this man; for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God. ¹⁷ And there rose up men of the elders of the land, and said to all the assembly of the people, ¹⁸ Michaeas the Morathite lived in the days of Ezekias king of Juda, and said to all the people of Juda, Thus saith the Lord; Sion shall be ploughed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become a desolation, and the mountain of the house shall be a thicket of trees. ¹⁹ Did Ezekias and all Juda in any way slay him? Was it not that they feared the Lord, and they made supplication before the Lord, and the Lord ceased from the evils which he had pronounced against them? whereas we have wrought great evil against our own souls. ²⁰ And there was another man prophesying in the name of the Lord, Urias the son of Samaeas of Cariathiarim; and he prophesied concerning this land according to all the words of Jeremias. ²¹ And king Joakim and all the princes heard all his words, and sought to slay him; and Urias heard it and went into Egypt. ²² And the king sent men into Egypt; ²³ and they brought him thence, and brought him into the king; and he smote him with the sword, and cast him into the sepulchre of the children of his people. ²⁴ Nevertheless the hand of Achicam son of Saphan was with Jeremias, to prevent his being delivered into the hands of the people, or being killed.

Chapter 34

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms of the earth under his dominion and all the peoples were fighting against Jerusalem and all of its cities: ²"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to Zedeki'ah king of Judah and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. ³You shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be captured and delivered into his hand; you shall see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you shall go to Babylon.' ⁴Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedeki'ah king of Judah! Thus says the LORD concerning you: 'You shall not die by the sword. ⁵You shall die in peace. And as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so men shall burn spices for you and lament for you, saying, "Alas, lord!"' For I have spoken the word, says the LORD." ⁶Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedeki'ah king of Judah, in Jerusalem, ⁷when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, Lachish and Aze'kah; for these were the only fortified cities of Judah that remained. ⁸The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedeki'ah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them, ⁹that every one should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. ¹⁰And they obeyed, all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant that every one would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again; they obeyed and set them free. ¹¹But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves. ¹²The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ¹³"Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying, ¹⁴'At the end of six years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.' But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me. ¹⁵You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name; ¹⁶but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. ¹⁷Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, says the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. ¹⁸And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant which they made before me, I will make like the calf which they cut in two and passed between its parts-- ¹⁹the princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf; ²⁰and I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives. Their dead bodies shall be food for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. ²¹And Zedeki'ah king of Judah, and his princes I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has withdrawn from you. ²²Behold, I will command, says the LORD, and will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant."

Intent of Chapter 34

34:1-7 Warning to Zediekiah

“The Sabbath under Zedekiah (No. 195B)

God gave King Zedekiah a command to obey the Law and to release the slaves of Israel in the Sabbath year. The Sabbath year was in 589/8 BCE, the tenth year of his reign. He was told to release all the slaves in that year, and the wealthy families did release them but they took them back again. Thus God said He would send Nebuchadnezzar against Jerusalem and destroy it. The Sabbath year had already started when the release and the re-enslavement happened, and that was all before the siege was laid in the tenth year, 589/8 [Jan. 588 BCE]. Jeremiah chapter 34 is quite clear on that fact. [The text from 34:8-22 concerns the Manumission of Slaves and sins of the Jerusalemites. Most scholars are not aware of the Calendar dates and the effects of the Laws governing the Sabbath and they assume the orders were given by Zedekiah on the advance of the Egyptians which is incorrect (see OARSV n.]

The siege lasted the remainder of the Sabbath and through the first year of the next cycle in 588 BCE, and ended with the fall of the city. So we see the Sabbath was in force, the Babylonians had withdrawn after besieging some of the cities of Judah, and God said He would cause them to return against Jerusalem - which He did that same year. The section in Jeremiah 34:17-22 is God’s sentence. They were restored but they again went back on His will and word. The sentence is still in force and is the direct cause of the tragedies and misfortunes that have occurred to Judah over the last two millennia, and these punishments will now be increased in full measure until backsliding Judah repents along with those that follow her errors and traditions.”

Distortion of God’s Calendar in Judah (No. 195B)

34:6 In the early part of the siege only Lachish (23 miles SW of Jerusalem) and Azekah (11 miles north of Lachish) held out.

34:12-14 God declares through Jeremiah, the Law relating to the Sabbath Years and the Manumission of slaves at the end of the Sixth year for the freedom guaranteed under the law for the Sabbath and Jubilee years (see Ex, 21:2; Deut. 15:12).

They went back on their undertakings under the law (v. 18; Gen. 15:9-17; the transgressors suffer the same fate as the slaughtered animal) (see also the use of “Cut a covenant” (Lit.) (v. 8, 13, 15 etc.) (see 31:31 n.). God condemned them all, through Jeremiah here; and Zechariah was to die at the hands of the king of Babylon which God would bring back to the city (v. 21-22).

The text of Ch. 34 in the LXX appears in Ch. 27 of the MT. Verses 13 and 21 of the MT are absent in the earlier LXX.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L... (1851)

Chapter 34 ³⁴:¹ Thus said the Lord; Make to thyself bonds and yokes, and put them about thy neck, ³ and thou shalt send them to the king of Idumea, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the children of Ammon, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hands of their messengers that come to meet them at Jerusalem to Sedekias king of Juda. ⁴ And thou shalt commission them to say to their lords, Thus said the Lord God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to your lords; ⁵ I have made the earth by my great power, and with my high arm, and I will give it to whomsoever it shall seem good in mine eyes. ⁶ I gave the earth to Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon to serve him, and the wild beasts of the field to labour for him. ⁷ ⁸ And the nation and kingdom, all that shall not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, with sword and famine will I visit them, saith the Lord, until they are consumed by his hand. ⁹ And hearken ye not to your false prophets, nor to them that divine to you, nor to them that foretell events by dreams to you, nor to your auguries, nor your sorcerers, that say, Ye shall by no means work for the king of Babylon: ¹⁰ for they prophesy lies to you, to remove you far from your land. ¹¹ But the nation which shall put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, I will even leave it upon its land, and it shall serve him, and dwell in it. ¹² I spoke also to Sedekias king of Juda according to all these words, saying, Put your neck into the yoke, and serve the king of Babylon. ¹³ ¹⁴ For they prophesy unrighteous words to you, ¹⁵ for I sent them not, saith the Lord; and they prophesy in my name unjustly, that I might destroy you, and ye should perish, and your prophets, who unrighteously prophesy lies to you. ¹⁶ I spoke to you, and to all this people, and to the priests, saying, Thus said the Lord; Hearken not to the words of the prophets that prophesy to you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the Lord’s house shall return from Babylon: for they prophesy to you unrighteous words. ¹⁷ I sent them not. ¹⁸ If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is in them, let them meet me, for thus has the Lord said. ¹⁹ And as for the remaining vessels, ²⁰ which the king of Babylon took not, when he carried Jechonias prisoner out of Jerusalem, ²¹ ²² they shall go into Babylon, saith the Lord.

Chapter 35

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah: ²"Go to the house of the Re'chabites, and speak with them, and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink." ³So I took Ja-azani'ah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazzini'ah, and his brothers, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Re'chabites. ⁴I brought them to the house of the LORD into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdali'ah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the princes, above the chamber of Ma-asei'ah the son of Shallum, keeper of the threshold. ⁵Then I set before the Re'chabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, "Drink wine." ⁶But they answered, "We will drink no wine, for Jon'adab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, 'You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons for ever; ⁷you shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.' ⁸We have obeyed the voice of Jon'adab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, ⁹and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed; ¹⁰but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed and done all that Jon'adab our father commanded us. ¹¹But when Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, 'Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chalde'ans and the army of the Syrians.' So we are living in Jerusalem." ¹²Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ¹³"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will you not receive instruction and listen to my words? says the LORD. ¹⁴The command which Jon'adab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept; and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father's command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. ¹⁵I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, 'Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land which I gave to you and your fathers.' But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. ¹⁶The sons of Jon'adab the son of Rechab have kept the command which their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. ¹⁷Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I am bringing on Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered." ¹⁸But to the house of the Re'chabites Jeremiah said, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jon'adab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded you, ¹⁹therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jon'adab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me."

Intent of Chapter 35

The Rechabites were effectively a religious order similar to but not having endorsement under the law as did the Nazirites (Num. 6:1-21). They were founded by Jonadab son of Rechab, during the reign of Jehu (842-815 BCE). Considered by some as religious fanatics, they assisted Jehu in the slaughter following the revolt against Omri (2Kgs. 10:15-28). They considered that the sedentary and sophisticated life in Canaan jeopardised the purity of the worship of the Lord. As a result of these views they were shepherds and lived in tents and abstained from wine for symbolic adherence to the wish of their ancestor and not for religious reasons (see Wine in the Bible (No. 188))

The reference to them here does not condone their views but merely shows the approbation of their faithfulness to their principles in comparison to Judah's faithlessness. The occasion was thought to be the crisis of 601 BCE (see 12:7-13 n.) (cf. OARSV n.)

Maaseiah is perhaps the father of Zephaniah (comp. 21:1).

Ch. 35 in the LXX is on Jeremiah 28:1-17 of the MT. It follows the LXX reasonably well.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L... (1851)

Chapter 35 ³⁵:¹ And it came to pass in the fourth year of Sedekias king of Juda, in the fifth month, that Ananias the false prophet, the son of Azor, from Gabaon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord, in the sight of the priests and all the people, saying, ² Thus saith the Lord; I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³ Yet two full years, and I will return into this place the vessels of the house of the Lord, ⁴ and Jechonias, and the captivity of Juda: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. ⁵ Then Jeremias spoke to Ananias in the sight of all the people, and in the sight of the priests that stood in the house of the Lord, ⁶ and Jeremias said, May the Lord indeed do thus; may he confirm thy word which thou dost prophesy, to return the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the captivity, out of Babylon to this place. ⁷ Nevertheless hear ye the word of the Lord which I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people. ⁸ The prophets that were before me and before you of old, also prophesied over much country, and against great kingdoms, concerning war. ⁹ As for the prophet that has prophesied for peace, when the word has come to pass, they shall know the prophet whom the Lord has sent them in truth. ¹⁰ Then Ananias took the yokes from the neck of Jeremias in the sight of all the people, and broke them to pieces. ¹¹ And Ananias spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus said the Lord; Thus will I break the yoke of the king of Babylon from the necks of all the nations. And Jeremias went his way. ¹² And the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, after that Ananias had broken the yokes off his neck, saying, ¹³ Go and speak to Ananias, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but I will make instead of them yokes of iron. ¹⁴ For thus said the Lord, I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all the nations, that they may serve the king of Babylon. ¹⁵ And Jeremias said to Ananias, The Lord has not sent thee; and thou hast caused this people to trust in unrighteousness. ¹⁶ Therefore thus said the Lord: Behold, I will cast thee off from the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die. ¹⁷ So he died in the seventh month.

Chapter 36

In the fourth year of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²"Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josi'ah until today. ³It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin." ⁴Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neri'ah, and Baruch wrote upon a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD which he had spoken to him. ⁵And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, "I am debarred from going to the house of the LORD; ⁶so you are to go, and on a fast day in the hearing of all the people in the LORD's house you shall read the words of the LORD from the scroll which you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the men of Judah who come out of their cities. ⁷It may be that their supplication will come before the LORD, and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people." ⁸And Baruch the son of Neri'ah did all that Jeremiah the prophet ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the LORD in the LORD's house. ⁹In the fifth year of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD. ¹⁰Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemari'ah the son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD's house. ¹¹When Micai'ah the son of Gemari'ah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the LORD from the scroll, ¹²he went down to the king's house, into the secretary's chamber; and all the princes were sitting there: Eli'shama the secretary, Delai'ah the son of Shemai'ah, Elna'than the son of Achbor, Gemari'ah the son of Shaphan, Zedeki'ah the son of Hanani'ah, and all the princes. ¹³And Micai'ah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people. ¹⁴Then all the princes sent Jehu'di the son of Nethani'ah, son of Shelemi'ah, son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, "Take in your hand the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come." So Baruch the son of Neri'ah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. ¹⁵And they said to him, "Sit down and read it." So Baruch read it to them. ¹⁶When they heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear; and they said to Baruch, "We must report all these words to the king." ¹⁷Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?" ¹⁸Baruch answered them, "He dictated all these words to me, while I wrote them with ink on the scroll." ¹⁹Then the princes said to Baruch, "Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are." ²⁰So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the chamber of Eli'shama the secretary; and they reported all the words to the king. ²¹Then the king sent Jehu'di to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Eli'shama the secretary; and Jehu'di read it to the king and all the princes who stood beside the king.

²²It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him. ²³As Jehu'di read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a penknife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. ²⁴Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words, was afraid, nor did they rend their garments. ²⁵Even when Elna'than and Delai'ah and Gemari'ah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. ²⁶And the king commanded Jerah'meel the king's son and Serai'ah the son of Az'ri-el and Shelemi'ah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the LORD hid them. ²⁷Now, after the king had burned the scroll with the words which Baruch wrote at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁸"Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which Jehoi'akim the king of Judah has burned. ²⁹And concerning Jehoi'akim king of Judah you shall say, 'Thus says the LORD, You have burned this scroll, saying, "Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it man and beast?" ³⁰Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoi'akim king of Judah, He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. ³¹And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity; I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.'" ³²Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neri'ah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll which Jehoi'akim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

Intent of Chapter 36

36:1-45 The trials and sufferings of Jeremiah

36:1-32 Jeremiah, Jehoiakim and the Scrolls

1-4 The Lord God commanded that Jeremiah reduce all the words of God concerning His prophecies and what He intended to do to Judah to a Scroll for record. Jeremiah then commissioned Baruch son of Neriah and brother of Seraiah (32:12; 51:59) of the Scribal House to take down all the words of the Lord that Jeremiah dictated to him. The Fourth year was 605 BCE which was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar's joint rule with his father (cf. also F027, i, ii).

5-10 Jeremiah had been barred from entering the Temple, as he was after all a prophet of God and Judah, and especially the Levites, did not wish to hear bad news regarding their sins, from the real messengers of God. On the occasion of the fast proclaimed by Jehoiakim on the occasion of Nebuchadrezzar's advance against Ashkelon (ca Nov. 604 BCE) when he had also proclaimed Daniel ruler of the province of Babylon (F027ii)), Jeremiah appointed Baruch to take the scroll and read it in the Temple in front of the Priests and rulers there in his stead. Shaphan was a friend of Jeremiah (26:24)

11-19 Baruch was asked to re-read the scroll in front of an assembly of royal officials. They were deeply impressed, but before they read it before Jehoiakim they advised Baruch and Jeremiah to go into hiding.

20-26 Jehoiakim ordered the scroll be brought from the court scribes office. Despite protests from some of his officials, he burned the scroll as it was read, three or four columns at a time. He was irritated by its contents and ordered the arrest of Jeremiah and Baruch. However, the Lord hid them (v. 26). Penknife was the knife used to sharpen the point of a scribe’s reed pens.

27-32 Jeremiah used the destruction of the Scroll as a symbol (v. 29). Jeremiah then announced the

complete death and destruction of Jehoiakim (22:18-19; 2Kgs. 24:6-15) and then dictated an expanded copy of the scroll (probably contained in chs. 1-25 (see also OARSV n).

Ch. 36:1-32 of the LXX is covered in Chap. 29:1-32 of the MT. Verses 16-20 of the MT are absent in the LXX. This covers the prophecy of the condemnation of God which is an important addition to the later MT seemingly after 70 CE.

English Translation of the Greek Septuagint Bible.

Brenton, Sir Lancelot C. L... (1851)

Chapter 36 ³⁶:¹ And these are the words of the book which Jeremias sent from Jerusalem to the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the false prophets, even an epistle to Babylon for the captivity, and to all the people; ² (after the departure of Jechonias the king and the queen, and the eunuchs, and every freeman, and bondman, and artificer, out of Jerusalem;) ³ by the hand of Eleasan son of Saphan, and Gamarias son of Chelcias, (whom Sedekias king of Juda sent to the king of Babylon to Babylon) saying, ⁴ Thus said the Lord God of Israel concerning the captivity which I caused to be carried away from Jerusalem; ⁵ Build ye houses, and inhabit them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruits thereof; ⁶ and take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, and be multiplied, and be not diminished. ⁷ And seek the peace of the land into which I have carried you captive, and ye shall pray to the Lord for the people: for in its peace ye shall have peace. ⁸ For thus saith the Lord; Let not the false prophets that are among you persuade you, and let not your diviners persuade you, and hearken not to your dreams which ye dream. ⁹ For they prophesy to you unrighteous words in my name; and I sent them not. ¹⁰ For thus said the Lord; When seventy years shall be on the point of being accomplished at Babylon, I will visit you, and will confirm my words to you, to bring back your people to this place. ¹¹ And I will devise for you a device of peace, and not evil, to bestow upon you these good things. ¹² And do ye pray to me, and I will hearken to you: and do ye earnestly seek me, and ye shall find me; ¹³ for ye shall seek me with your whole heart. ¹⁴ And I will appear to you: ¹⁵ whereas ye said, The Lord has appointed for us prophets in Babylon: ¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ ¹⁹ ²⁰ ²¹ Thus saith the Lord concerning Achiab, and concerning Sedekias; Behold, I will deliver them into the hands of the king of Babylon; and he shall smite them in your sight. ²² And they shall make of them a curse in all the captivity of Juda in Babylon, saying, The Lord do to thee as he did to Sedekias, and as he did to Achiab, whom the king of Babylon fried in the fire; ²³ because of the iniquity which they wrought in Israel, and because they committed adultery with the wives of their fellow-citizens; and spoke a word in my name, which I did not command them to speak, and I am witness, saith the Lord. ²⁴ And to Samaeas the Ælamite thou shalt say, ²⁵ I sent thee not in my name: and to Sophonias the priest the son of Maasaeas say thou, ²⁶ The Lord has made thee priest in the place of Jodae the priest, to be ruler in the house of the Lord over every prophet, and to every madman, and thou shalt put them in prison, and into the dungeon. ²⁷ And now wherefore have ye reviled together Jeremias of Anathoth, who prophesied to you? ²⁸ Did he not send for this purpose? for in the course of this month he sent to you to Babylon, saying, It is far off: build ye houses, and inhabit them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. ²⁹ And Sophonias read the book in the ears of Jeremias. ³⁰ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, saying, ³¹ Send to the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Samaeas the Ælamite, Since Samaeas has prophesied to you, and I sent him not, and he has made you to trust in iniquity, ³² therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will visit Samaeas, and his family: and there shall not be a man of them in the midst of you to see the good which I will do to you: they shall not see it.

Bullinger’s Notes on Chs. 33 - 36 (for KJV)

Chapter 33

Verse 1

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

the second time. See the Structure (see book comments for Jeremiah).

Verse 2

the Maker thereof = the doer thereof: i.e. the accomplisher of His word.

the LORD. This is not found in some codices, nor in the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate.

the LORD is His name. The Massorah states that this expression occurs only four times (Exodus 15:3 .Exodus 33:2 .Amos 5:8 ; Amos 9:6 ). Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 15:3 ). App-92 .

Verse 3

mighty = inaccessible: i.e. too high for Jeremiah to know, apart from revelation.

Verse 4

the LORD, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 11:3 . God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .

thrown down, &c.: i.e. demolished to serve as a fence against the mounts and the sword.

Verse 5

They come: i.e. the demolished houses are coming to be used for defense, &c. For this sense of "come", see Mark 4:21 (Greek)

with. Some codices, with two early printed editions and Septuagint, read "against".

men = mankind. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

wickedness = lawlessness. Hebrew. rasha'.

Verse 6

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .

Verse 7

captivity. As in Jeremiah 32:44 .

Verse 8

I will cleanse. This is the foundation of all the blessing.

iniquity. Singular. = the principles. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .

sinned . . . sinned. Hebrew. chata'. App-44 .

iniquities. Plural = the acts. Hebrew. 'avah. App-44 .

transgressed = rebelled. Hebrew. pasha'. App-44 .

Verse 9

them. The Severus Codex ( App-34 ) reads "it".

Verse 10

ye say. Jeremiah had been saying this.

man. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .

cities. See the Structure, p. 1064.

Verse 11

The voice of joy, &c. Compare Jeremiah 7:34 ; Jeremiah 16:9 ; Jeremiah 25:10 .

the LORD of hosts = Jehovah (with ' eth) Zebaoth. See note on Jeremiah 6:6 , and 1 Samuel 1:3 .

mercy = lovingkindness, or grace. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 33:26 .

for ever = age-abiding. Therefore the fulfilment is still future.

them that shall bring. Implying a settled order of worship.

sacrifice of praise = thank-offering, or confession (of praise).

as at the first. Note the Structure, p. 1064.

saith the LORD = [is] Jehovah's Oracle.

Verse 13

mountains = hill country.

Verse 15

the Branch of righteousness. Compare Jeremiah 23:5 .Isaiah 61:11 .

He shall execute, &c. As David is more than once said to have done. Some codices, with three early printed editions and Syriac, read: "And a King will reign, and prosper, And will execute", &c.

land. Hebrew. 'aretz = earth, or land.

Verse 16

this is the name, &c.: or, "this is that which shall be proclaimed to her [as her name]."

The LORD our righteousness. The term is here applied to the city, which has been applied to the king in Jeremiah 23:6 .

Verse 17

man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .

Verse 18

the priests the Levites. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 17:9 , Numbers 25:10-13 ). App-92 .Malachi 2:5 .

Verse 20

The Twenty-Fifth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

My covenant of the day, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 8:22 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 31:35 .

Verse 21

My covenant . . . with David. Wholly unconditional. Compare 2 Samuel 7:12 , &c. Compare Psalms 89:3 , Psalms 89:4 , Psalms 89:20-37 , and Jer 132:11 , with Jeremiah 31:35-37 , and Jeremiah 33:17-26 .

Verse 22

the host of heaven. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 15:3 ; Genesis 22:17 ). Compare Jeremiah 31:37 . App-92 .

the sand of the sea. Reference to Pentateuch ( Gen 13:19 ).

Verse 25

The Twenty-Sixth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

If My covenant, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Genesis 8:22 ).

Verse 26

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. See note on Genesis 50:24 .

mercy = compassion. Hebrew. raham. Not the same word as in Jeremiah 33:11 .

Chapter 34

Verse 1

The word. This chapter is Ch. Jeremiah 32:1-5 , told over again more fully.

Nebuchadnezzar. Not that he was necessarily present.

fought = were fighting, or about to fight.

Verse 2

the LORD, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 11:3 .

Verse 3

thine eyes shall behold, &c. See note on Jeremiah 32:4 .

Verse 5

with. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "like".

burn odours. Compare 2 Chronicles 16:14 , and observe the word is saraph , not katar ( App-43 for both)

Verse 7

Lachish. Now Tell el Hesy, south of Eglon, ten and a half miles from Eleutheropolis.

Azekah. Now Tell Zakariya, in the valley of Elah. JEREMIAH: Page: 1066

Verse 8

The Twenty-Eighth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

a covenant. Note the illustration of the two covenants, (verses: Jeremiah 34:8-10 ) and (verses: Jeremiah 34:12-15 ), and compare with the other illustration in (Jeremiah 35:1-11 ).

to proclaim liberty, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 21:2 .Leviticus 25:10 , Leviticus 25:39-46 . Outside the Pent, the word occurs only in Isaiah 61:1 , and Ezekiel 46:17 .

Verse 9

every man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .

go free. See note on Jeremiah 34:8 , and compare verses: Jeremiah 34:21 , Jeremiah 34:22 , which show that this covenant was made during a temporary withdrawal of the besiegers, on account of the Egyptians (Jeremiah 37:5 ).

serve himself of them = use them as bondservants.

Verse 10

The Twenty-Ninth Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

every one = ' ish , as in Jeremiah 34:9 .

Verse 13

in the day = when. See App-18 .

bondmen = slaves.

Verse 15

which is called by My name = upon which My name is called.

Verse 16

polluted My name. Reference to Pentateuch (Leviticus 19:12 , the same word). App-92 .

he = every man.

at their pleasure = for their own soul. Hebrew. nephesh ( App-13 ): "soul" being put for the affections of the person.

Verse 17

liberty . . . liberty. Figure of speech Antanaclasis , by which the same word is used in two different senses in the same sentence.

to. Some codices, with three early printed editions, Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "and to", completing the Figure of speech Polysyndeton .

make you to be removed. Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 28:25 , Deuteronomy 28:64 ). App-92 . Compare Jeremiah 24:9 .

Verse 18

men. Hebrew, plural of 'enosh. App-14 .

transgressed. Hebrew. 'abar. App-44 .

cut the calf in twain. Compare Genesis 15:9 , Genesis 15:10 .

passed between, &c. Ref to Pentateuch (Genesis 15:10-17 ).

Verse 20

life = soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

Verse 21

which are gone up from you. See note on Jeremiah 34:9 .

Verse 22

a desolation, &c.: or, too desolate to have an inhabitant; or, desolate through having no inhabitant.

Chapter 35

Verse 1

came. Jeremiah goes back here to insert a preceding event (See Jeremiah 25:1 ; Jeremiah 26:1 ), in order to complete the correspondence by introducing the second illustration, as shown in the Structure, (Jeremiah 34:8-16 ) and (Jeremiah 35:1-11 ).

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

in the days, &c. Immediately before Nebuchadnezzar's advance, in his fourth year.

Verse 2

house. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), for the descendants of Rechab, through Jonadab his son. who became their chieftain and lawgiver. Compare Jeremiah 35:6 .

Rechabites They were descended from Hobab, the brother-inlaw of Moses. A Kenite tribe, who migrated with Israel to Canaan. Compare Numbers 10:29 with Judges 1:16 ; Judges 4:11-17 ; Judges 5:24 . 1 Samuel 15:6 . They were proselytes, not idolaters; inhabiting the wilderness south of Judah.

one of the chambers. There were many, for various purposes of the Temple worship. Compare Jeremiah 36:10 with 1 Kings 6:5 . 1 Chronicles 9:27 . Nehemiah 13:4-12 .

wine. Hebrew. yayin. [fermented wine] App-27 .

Verse 4

Igdaliah. See note on Psalms 90:1 .

a man of God = the man (Hebrew. 'ish , App-14 .) of God (Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .): i.e. a prophet. See App-49 .

Maaseiah, &c. He was the deputy of the High Priest. Compare Jeremiah 52:24 . 2 Kings 25:18 . Probably the same whose son Zephaniah, after the carrying away of Maaseiah with Jehoiachin (Jeremiah 29:1 ), held office under Zedekiah (Jeremiah 21:1 ; Jeremiah 29:5 ; Jeremiah 37:3 ).

keeper of the door = keeper of the threshold. There were three. See 2 Kings 25:18 . 2 Chronicles 31:14 .

Verse 5

pots = bowls.

Verse 6

for ever = unto times age-abiding.

Verse 7

build. This was as essential as the former injunction.

live many days, &c. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 20:12 ). App-92 .

in the land = on the soil.

Verse 11

When, &c. They explain why they did not carry out the latter part of their vow (Jeremiah 35:7 ).

Syrians. This is the only place where they are mentioned with the Chaldeans. They had been made subject to Assyria long before; (Isaiah 9:12 ). After the fall of Nineveh they came under the yoke of Babylon.

Verse 13

The Thirty-First Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel. See note on Jeremiah 7:3 . men. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .

saith the Lord = [is] Jehovah's oracle.

Verse 14

rising early and speaking. See note on Jeremiah 7:13 .

Verse 15

every man. Hebrew ' Ish . App-14 .

evil. Hebrew. raa. App-44 .

Verse 16

Because, &c. They are praised for their obedience, without reference to the nature of the command. Jonadab is not justified by this for imposing his will on all his posterity.

Verse 17

the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel = Jehovah Elohim Zeba'oth, Elohim of Israel. See App-4 . This is the fullest (and therefore the most solemn) use of this Divine title. Occurs in this book only three times (here, Jeremiah 38:17 , and Jeremiah 44:7 ).

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos . App-6 . Used to emphasize further what follows.

evil. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

Verse 19

for ever = all the days.

Chapter 36

Verse 1

the fourth year of Jehoiakim. This was after Nebuchadnezzar had left Jerusalem with his band of young captives, including Daniel. See App-86 . The city had become quieted down again.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 2

roll = a writing scroll. Hebrew. megillah. Occurs twenty-one times (fourteen times in this chapter. Psalms 40:7 . Ezekiel 2:9 ; Ezekiel 3:1 , Ezekiel 3:2 , Ezekiel 3:3 .Zechariah 5:1 , Zechariah 5:2 ). The name given to the five books called the megilloth (Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther).

words. Plural Compare "word" (singular) (Jeremiah 36:1 ).

Israel. These words were now to be written because Israel had been already in dispersion 114 years, and could not be spoken, as they were when Judah alone was concerned. Compare Jeremiah 25:2 .

from the days of Josiah. See Jeremiah 1:1-3 . Not only what is recorded in Jeremiah 25:0 , but what Jehovah had spoken to him for the past twenty-three years.

Verse 3

evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a'. App-44 .

every man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

iniquity. Hebrew. 'avon. sin. Hebrew. chata App-44 .

Verse 4

Baruch = Blessed. The first mention of him chronologically. Other references to him in Jeremiah 32:12 ; Jeremiah 43:3 , Jeremiah 43:6 ; Jeremiah 45:1-5 . He was brother to Seraiah. Compare Jeremiah 32:12 with Jeremiah 51:59 .

Verse 5

shut up. Not in prison (for Compare Jeremiah 36:19 ), but in hiding, or from some unexplained reason.

Verse 6

the fasting day = a fast day. Being in the ninth month (Jeremiah 36:9 ), it was not that prescribed in the Law, which was in the seventh month (Leviticus 16:29 ; Leviticus 23:27 ).

Verse 9

the fifth year. The reading was deferred for some months.

ninth month. Our December. See App-51 .

they proclaimed, &c. = all the People of Jerusalem, and all the People who were coming in and out of the cities of Jerusalem, had proclaimed a fast before Jehovah.

Verse 10

Gemariah. He was brother of Ahikam (Jeremiah 26:24 ), and not the Gemariah of Jeremiah 29:3 , who was Hilkiah's son.

Shaphan. See note on 2 Kings 22:3 .

the scribe: i.e. Shaphan (not Gemariah), who was the scribe in Josiah's days. See 2 Kings 22:3 , 2 Kings 22:8 , 2Ki 22:9 , 2 Kings 22:10 , 2 Kings 22:12 . At the time of this history Elishama was the scribe (unless there were more than one). See verses: Jeremiah 36:12 , Jeremiah 36:20 , Jeremiah 36:21 .

Verse 11

of = from.

Verse 12

went down. Compare Jeremiah 22:1 .

Elnathan. The king's emissary against Urijah (Jeremiah 26:22 ).

Verse 13

the = in the.

Verse 15

Sit down now. Compare "stood" (Jeremiah 36:21 ). Showing that these princes were favourable to Jeremiah.

Verse 16

the words. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read "these words".

We will surely tell. Showing their earnestness and sincerity in the matter.

Verse 19

man. Hebrew. 'ish. App-14 .

Verse 21

Stood. See note on Jeremiah 36:15 .

Verse 22

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.

Verse 23

leaves = columns.

he: i.e. the king.

cut it = cut it up into fragments.

penknife = a scribe ' s knife. The words of Jehovah are cut up to-day, not with a scribe's knife, but with scribe's pens in the hands of the modern critics. Yet they are "not afraid".

Verse 24

not afraid. The courtiers were less open to holy fear than the People were. See note on Jeremiah 36:9 . Contrast Jehoiakim's father, king Josiah (2 Kings 22:11 ). Contrast also the sentence pronounced on them (2 Kings 22:18-20 with Jeremiah 36:30 , below on "him").

Verse 25

Nevertheless = Moreover.

made intercession. Showing that Elnathan was less hostile than we might perhaps have concluded from Jeremiah 26:22 and 2 Kings 24:8 .

Verse 26

Hammelech = the king. Compare Jeremiah 38:6 . 1Ki 22:26 . 2 Kings 11:1 , 2 Kings 11:2 .Zephaniah 1:8 .

Verse 27

The Thirty-Third Prophecy of Jeremiah (see book comments for Jeremiah).

came. The word of the LORD was "not bound". Compare 2 Timothy 2:9 .

the roll, and the words. Note the Figure of speech Hendiadys = "the roll, yea, the very words of Jehovah written therein".

Verse 28

another roll. See the Structure, (p. 1069). We are not told what became of this, so it may have got, later, into the hands of Nehemiah, when he visited the Temple ruins.

Verse 29

thou shalt say. Not verbally to Jehoiakim, but in the other scroll.

Verse 30

of = concerning.

none to sit, &c. = none sitting, &c. Hebrew. yashab, implying permanence. His son Jehoiachin reigned only three months, and then only on sufferance (2 Kings 24:6-8 ). See note on Jeremiah 22:30 . See App-99 .

Verse 31

punish him = visit upon him. Reference to Pentateuch (Exodus 32:34 ). App-92 .

Verse 32

like words = like unto them. They are preserved to us in this book to a large extent. The history in Jeremiah 37:0 and Jeremiah 38:0 reverts to the last two years of Zedekiah's reign, and the actual siege of Jerusalem. It is a new and independent section. See Structure, above.

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