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Jeremiah’s Prophecies Are Written, Read, and Burned

36 In the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, “Take a scroll, and write on it everything that I have dictated to you about Israel, Judah, and all the other nations from the time I spoke to you during the reign of Josiah until today. Maybe the nation of Judah will hear about all the disasters that I plan to bring on them, and they will turn from their wicked ways. Then I will forgive their wickedness and their sins.”

Then Jeremiah called Baruch, son of Neriah. Jeremiah dictated everything that Yahweh had told him, and Baruch wrote it all down on a scroll. Jeremiah told Baruch, “I’m no longer allowed to go to Yahweh’s temple. On a day of fasting, you must read from the scroll Yahweh’s message that you wrote as I dictated. You must read it to the people in Yahweh’s temple. You must also read it to all the people of Judah when they come from their cities. Maybe their prayers will come into Yahweh’s presence, and they will turn from their evil ways. Yahweh has threatened these people with his terrifying anger and fury.”

Baruch, son of Neriah, did as the prophet Jeremiah commanded him. In Yahweh’s temple he read from the scroll everything that Yahweh had said. In the ninth month of the fifth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, son of King Josiah of Judah, a time for fasting was called. It was a time for all the people in Jerusalem and for everyone who was coming from any city in Judah to Jerusalem to fast in Yahweh’s presence. 10 Then Baruch read the scroll containing the words of Jeremiah. Baruch read it to all the people in Yahweh’s temple in the room of the scribe Gemariah, son of Shaphan, in the upper courtyard at the entrance of New Gate of Yahweh’s temple.

11 Micaiah, who was the son of Gemariah and the grandson of Shaphan, heard Baruch read from the scroll everything Yahweh had said. 12 Then he went down to the scribe’s room in the king’s palace where all the scribes were sitting. The scribe Elishama, Delaiah (son of Shemaiah), Elnathan (son of Achbor), Gemariah (son of Shaphan), Zedekiah (son of Hananiah), and all the other officials were there. 13 Micaiah told them everything he heard Baruch read from the scroll publicly. 14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi, who was the son of Nethaniah, the grandson of Shelemiah, and the great-grandson of Cushi, to Baruch. Jehudi said to Baruch, “Bring the scroll that you read publicly, and come with me.” Baruch, son of Neriah, took the scroll and went with him to see the officers. 15 They said to Baruch, “Please sit down, and read it to us.”

So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard everything, they turned to each other in terror. They said to Baruch, “We must tell the king everything.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Please tell us how you wrote all this. Did Jeremiah dictate it to you?”

18 Baruch answered, “He dictated everything to me, and I wrote it on the scroll in ink.”

19 The officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah must hide. Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

20 After they put the scroll in the side room of the scribe Elishama, they went to the king in the courtyard and told him everything. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. He took the scroll from the side room of the scribe Elishama. Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials standing by the king. 22 It was the ninth month, and the king was in his winter house sitting in front of the fire in the fireplace. 23 As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the fire in the fireplace. He did this until the whole scroll was burned up. 24 The king and all his attendants didn’t show any fear or tear their clothes in fear when they heard everything being read. 25 Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he refused to listen to them. 26 The king commanded Jerahmeel (the king’s son), Seraiah (son of Azriel), and Shelemiah (son of Abdeel) to arrest the scribe Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. But Yahweh had hidden Baruch and Jeremiah.

27 After the king burned up the scroll that Baruch had written and that Jeremiah had dictated, Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 28 “Take another scroll, and write on it everything that was written on the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah burned. 29 Say about King Jehoiakim of Judah, ‘This is what Yahweh says: You burned this scroll, and you asked Jeremiah, “Why did you write that the king of Babylon will certainly come to destroy this land and take away people and animals?” 30 This is what Yahweh says about King Jehoiakim of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David’s throne, and his own corpse will be thrown out and exposed to the heat of day and the cold of night. 31 I will punish him, his descendants, and his attendants for their wickedness. They refused to listen. So I will bring on them, on those who live in Jerusalem, and on the people of Judah all the disasters that I have threatened.’”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch, son of Neriah. As Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on it everything that was on the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah had burned. They added many similar messages.

Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah’s Scroll

36 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Take a scroll(B) and write on it all the words(C) I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah(D) till now. Perhaps(E) when the people of Judah hear(F) about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn(G) from their wicked ways; then I will forgive(H) their wickedness and their sin.”

So Jeremiah called Baruch(I) son of Neriah,(J) and while Jeremiah dictated(K) all the words the Lord had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll.(L) Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting(M) and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated.(N) Read them to all the people of Judah(O) who come in from their towns. Perhaps they will bring their petition(P) before the Lord and will each turn(Q) from their wicked ways, for the anger(R) and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.”

Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the Lord’s temple he read the words of the Lord from the scroll. In the ninth month(S) of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting(T) before the Lord was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah. 10 From the room of Gemariah(U) son of Shaphan(V) the secretary,(W) which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate(X) of the temple, Baruch read to all the people at the Lord’s temple the words of Jeremiah from the scroll.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the secretary’s(Y) room in the royal palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan(Z) son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.(AA) 13 After Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read to the people from the scroll, 14 all the officials sent Jehudi(AB) son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Bring the scroll(AC) from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch son of Neriah went to them with the scroll in his hand. 15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.”

So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear(AD) and said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, how did you come to write(AE) all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?”

18 “Yes,” Baruch replied, “he dictated(AF) all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.”

19 Then the officials(AG) said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah, go and hide.(AH) Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

20 After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21 The king sent Jehudi(AI) to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king(AJ) and all the officials standing beside him. 22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment,(AK) with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll,(AL) the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.(AM) 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear,(AN) nor did they tear their clothes.(AO) 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah(AP) and Gemariah(AQ) 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, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest(AR) Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden(AS) them.

27 After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s dictation,(AT) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 “Take another scroll(AU) and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up. 29 Also tell Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You burned that scroll and said, “Why did you write on it that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and wipe from it(AV) both man and beast?”(AW) 30 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim(AX) king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out(AY) and exposed(AZ) to the heat by day and the frost by night.(BA) 31 I will punish him and his children(BB) and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster(BC) I pronounced against them, because they have not listened.(BD)’”

32 So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated,(BE) Baruch wrote(BF) on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned(BG) in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.