Focused Passage

Jeremiah 36:20-26

The Scroll Written, Read, Cut, Burned, and Written Again

The chapter moves from the LORD's command to write his words, to Baruch's public reading, to the officials' fearful response, to Jehoiakim's defiant burning of the scroll, to the LORD's judgment on the king, and finally to the rewritten and expanded scroll.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

20 So the officials went to the king in the courtyard. And having stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, they reported everything to the king.

21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who were standing beside him.

22 Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters with a fire burning before him.

23 And as soon as Jehudi had read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll had been consumed by the fire.

24 Yet in hearing all these words, the king and his servants did not become frightened or tear their garments.

25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.

26 Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, as well as Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel, to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 20

Original words

So [the officials] went וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the king הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular in the courtyard חָצֵ֔רָה H2691 Noun - common singular | third person feminine singular And וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker having stored הִפְקִ֔דוּ H6485 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural the scroll הַמְּגִלָּ֣ה H4039 Article | Noun - feminine singular in the chamber בְּלִשְׁכַּ֖ת H3957 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct of Elishama אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע H476 Noun - proper - masculine singular the scribe הַסֹּפֵ֑ר H5608 Article | Noun - masculine singular they reported וַיַּגִּ֙ידוּ֙ H5046 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural everything כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַדְּבָרִֽים׃ H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural to בְּאָזְנֵ֣י H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct the king הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker
Verse 21

Original words

Then the king הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker sent וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח H7971 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Jehudi יְהוּדִ֗י H3065 Noun - proper - masculine singular to get לָקַ֙חַת֙ H3947 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the scroll הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה H4039 Article | Noun - feminine singular and he took it וַיִּ֨קָּחֶ֔הָ H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular from the chamber מִלִּשְׁכַּ֖ת H3957 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Elishama אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע H476 Noun - proper - masculine singular the scribe הַסֹּפֵ֑ר H5608 Article | Noun - masculine singular And Jehudi יְהוּדִי֙ H3065 Noun - proper - masculine singular read it וַיִּקְרָאֶ֤הָ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular in the hearing בְּאָזְנֵ֣י H241 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct of the king הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . וּבְאָזְנֵי֙ H241 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine dual construct and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the officials הַשָּׂרִ֔ים H8269 Article | Noun - masculine plural who were standing הָעֹמְדִ֖ים H5975 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural beside מֵעַ֥ל H5921 Preposition-m [him] הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

Since it was the ninth הַתְּשִׁיעִ֑י H8671 Article | Number - ordinal masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker month בַּחֹ֖דֶשׁ H2320 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular the king וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ H4428 Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular was sitting יוֹשֵׁב֙ H3427 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular in his winter הַחֹ֔רֶף H2779 Article | Noun - masculine singular quarters בֵּ֣ית H1004 Noun - masculine singular construct with a fire הָאָ֖ח H254 Article | Noun - masculine singular burning מְבֹעָֽרֶת׃ H1197 Verb - Pual - Participle - feminine singular before him לְפָנָ֥יו H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

And וַיְהִ֣י׀ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular as soon as Jehudi יְהוּדִ֗י H3065 Noun - proper - masculine singular had read כִּקְר֣וֹא H7121 Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct three שָׁלֹ֣שׁ H7969 Number - feminine singular or four וְאַרְבָּעָה֒ H702 Conjunctive waw | Number - masculine singular columns דְּלָתוֹת֮ H1817 Noun - feminine plural Jehoiakim would cut [them off] יִֽקְרָעֶ֙הָ֙ H7167 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular with a scribe’s הַסֹּפֵ֔ר H5608 Article | Noun - masculine singular knife בְּתַ֣עַר H8593 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct and throw [them] וְהַשְׁלֵ֕ךְ H7993 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute into אֶל־ H413 Preposition the firepot הָאָ֑ח H254 Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . הָאֵ֖שׁ H784 Article | Noun - common singular - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative - אֶל־ H413 Preposition until עַד־ H5704 Preposition the entire כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct scroll הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה H4039 Article | Noun - feminine singular had been consumed תֹּם֙ H8552 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct by עַל־ H5921 Preposition the fire הָאֵ֖שׁ H784 Article | Noun - common singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative - עַל־ H5921 Preposition - הָאָֽח׃ H254 Article | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 24

Original words

Yet in hearing הַשֹּׁ֣מְעִ֔ים H8085 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural - אֵ֥ת H853 Direct object marker all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct these הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural words הַדְּבָרִ֖ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural the king הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular and וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct his servants עֲבָדָ֔יו H5650 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular did not וְלֹ֣א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle become frightened פָחֲד֔וּ H6342 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural . . . וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle or tear קָרְע֖וּ H7167 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker their garments בִּגְדֵיהֶ֑ם H899 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 25

Original words

Even though וְגַם֩ H1571 Conjunction Elnathan אֶלְנָתָ֨ן H494 Noun - proper - masculine singular Delaiah וּדְלָיָ֤הוּ H1806 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Gemariah וּגְמַרְיָ֙הוּ֙ H1587 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular urged הִפְגִּ֣עוּ H6293 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural the king בַמֶּ֔לֶךְ H4428 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular not לְבִלְתִּ֥י H1115 Preposition-l to burn שְׂרֹ֖ף H8313 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the scroll הַמְּגִלָּ֑ה H4039 Article | Noun - feminine singular he would not וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle listen שָׁמַ֖ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to them אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 26

Original words

Instead, the king הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker commanded וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה H6680 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Jerahmeel יְרַחְמְאֵ֨ל H3396 Noun - proper - masculine singular a son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of the king הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ H4428 Article | Noun - masculine singular as well as וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker Seraiah שְׂרָיָ֣הוּ H8304 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Azriel עַזְרִיאֵ֗ל H5837 Noun - proper - masculine singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and Shelemiah שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֙הוּ֙ H8018 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּֽן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Abdeel עַבְדְּאֵ֔ל H5655 Noun - proper - masculine singular to seize לָקַ֙חַת֙ H3947 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker Baruch בָּר֣וּךְ H1263 Noun - proper - masculine singular the scribe הַסֹּפֵ֔ר H5608 Article | Noun - masculine singular - וְאֵ֖ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker and Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular the prophet הַנָּבִ֑יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular But the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ס H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular had hidden them וַיַּסְתִּרֵ֖ם H5641 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.