Then said the princes unto Baruch,.... Being satisfied with his answer: go hide thee, thou and Jeremiah, and let no man know where ye be. Some of these princes at least seem to be good men, and believed what was read to them, and had a value for the prophet and his scribe, and were concerned for their welfare; and knowing the furious temper of the...
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...
So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll,.... The same person the princes sent to Baruch to come to them, and bring the roll with him, Jeremiah 36:14. This the king did, out of curiosity, and to satisfy himself of the truth of what the princes said; and by this it appears they had told him of the roll, which contained what they had given him a...
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,...
And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves,.... Either three or four of the breadths of parchment, which were glued together, and rolled up; or three or four of the columns in those breadths. The meaning is, he had read a few of them. The Rabbins (s) would have it, that three or four verses in the book of the Lamentations...
Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments,.... They were not struck with horror at such an impious action as the burning of the roll; nor afraid of the judgments and wrath of God threatened in it; nor did they rend their garments in token of sorrow and mourning on account of either, as used to be when anything blasphemous was said or done,...
Nevertheless, Elnathan, and Delaiah, and Gemariah,.... Three of the five princes mentioned in Jeremiah 36:12; had made intercession to the king, that he would not burn the roll; or suffer it to be burnt; this they did either at first, as soon as the roll was brought, that if the king should not like it, yet they besought him that he would not...
But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech,.... Or, "the king's son", as the Targum; though it rather seems to be the proper name of a person, one of the king's servants; since it is not probable he would send his own son on such an errand; and had he, he would rather have been called his own son than the king's son; besides, Jeconiah,...
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah,.... In the place where he was hid; the Lord knew where he was, for he hid him, and therefore could send his word to him: after the king had burnt the roll; either with his own hands, or had ordered it to be burnt, or connived at the burning of it: and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of...
Take thee again another roll,.... Or a piece of parchment; or rather several pieces of parchment glued or rolled up together: and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burnt; just as when the two tables of the law were broken, two others were made, and the same laws written on them;...
And thou shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah,.... Or, "concerning" (w) him; since the prophet was hid, and he was in quest of him; nor was it safe for him to appear in person before him; though this may be understood as what should be put into the second roll, and in that he addressed to him: thus saith the Lord, thou hast burnt this roll; or...
Therefore thus saith the Lord, of Jehoiakim king of Judah,.... Or, "concerning" (x) him; for Jehovah is not here said to be "the Lord of Jehoiakim", though he was, being King of kings, and Lord of lords; bat as speaking concerning him, and threatening him, as follows: he shall have none to sit upon the throne of David; that is, none of his issue...
And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity,.... In cutting the roll pieces, and burning it, as Abarbinel interprets it; which either was done by himself, or by his order, and with his connivance; and at which perhaps his sons were present, and expressed a pleasure in it; an his servants that stood by assented to it,...
Then took Jeremiah another roll,.... Of parchment; several sheets joined together, which made up a roll or volume: and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who was by office a public notary or scribe of the law, as well as the amanuensis of the prophet: who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which...