Chapter 36: The Scroll That Was Burned and Rewritten

(32 Pesukim)

1. Command to Write the Prophecies (Verses 1–3)

• In the fourth year of the reign of Yehoiakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Judah, Hashem told Yirmiyahu the fact following prophecy which he should relate:
• Take for yourself a scroll and write within it all the words that I had spoken to you regarding the people of Israel Judah and all the nations of the world from the time of Yoshiahu’s reign until this very day.
• Purpose: The purpose of this instruction is in order so perhaps the Jewish people will decide to repent after reading of all of the calamities that I write about doing to them in this scroll. Perhaps they will repent from their evil ways and I will forgive their sins.

2. Baruch Writes and Reads the Scroll (Verses 4–10)

• Since Yirmiyahu is confined, Baruch reads the scroll publicly in the Temple during a fast day: Yirmiyahu summoned Baruch Ben Niryah to write down the prophecy that he had received onto a scroll, as he himself was incarcerated and was unable to make it to the temple of God to write and deliver the message.
• Yirmiyahu thus dictated to Baruch all of the words that he received from Hashem which Baruch then wrote onto a scroll. He had him then read the scroll before all the people who had gathered from all of the surrounding cities on a fast day, as perhaps as a result of hearing this scroll they will repent.
• Baruch Ben Niryah performed faithfully everything that Yirmiyahu had instructed him.
• Location: The above reading of the scroll to the nation by Baruch took place in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shafan, near the new gate.

3. Officials Hear the Content of the Scroll and React (Verses 11–19)

• Informing the ministers: Micaiah the son of Gemariah the son of Shafan heard all the words of God that were read from the scroll, and he went down to inform all of the princes and ministers of its content.
• He proceeded to the royal residence, specifically to the scribe’s chamber, where all the officials were present: Elishama the scribe, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, along with the other officers. He informed them of everything you heard read by Baruch.
• Summoning Baruch to read the scroll: The officials then sent Yehudi the son of Nethaniah the son of Shelemiah the son of Cushi to summon Baruch to bring the scroll to them, and so he did.
• They asked Baruch to read the scroll in front of them and so he did. After hearing its message, they became filled with fright and decided to inform the king [in order so he repent[1]].
• Interrogating Baruch about the scroll: The ministers interrogated Baruch, asking him from where he received these divine messages which he wrote in the scroll. Baruch responded that he wrote down the messages with ink as soon as he was receiving them from the mouth of [Yirmiyahu, hence explaining that there is no other source for this scrolls message].
• Going into hiding: The ministers advised both Baruch and Yirmiyahu to hide from the king and the nation for safety [as the king may not respond favorably and will demand their death].

4. The King Tears and Burns the Scroll (Verses 20–26)

• The ministers came with the scroll to the king, Yehoyakims, courtyard, and they deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they told all the matters in the ears of the king.
• The king directed Yehudi, who had formerly been dispatched by the princes to summon Baruch, to retrieve the scroll. Yehudi obtained the scroll from the chamber of Elishama the scribe.
• Yehudi read the scroll in the ears of the king Yehoiakim, and in the ears of all the princes who were standing beside the king.
• At the time the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month of the year [i.e. Kisleiv[2]] with a burning fireplace.
• The king proceeded to cut the scroll after every 3 to 4 pages was read by Yehudi using a razor. He then threw the pieces which he had cut from the scroll into the fireplace until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.
• The king and the ministers who were present remained unmoved and did not tear their garments and were not overtaken by fear after hearing the prophecies of doom read from the scroll.
• The ministers who protested the tearing: Elnatan and Delayahu and Gemaryahu pleaded to the king not to burn the scroll, which contained the word of God, but Yehoyakim did not listen to them.
• The order to arrest Baruch and Yirmiyahu:
  The king commanded his son Yerachme’el, Serayahu son of Azriel, and Shelemyahu son of Avdiel to imprison Baruch the scribe and Yeremiah the prophet.
• Hashem hides the prophets: However, Hashem hid the prophets so they could not be found by the king’s messengers.

5. Hashem’s Judgment on Yehoiakim (Verses 27–31)

• After the above burning of the scroll by the king Hashem commanded Yirmiyahu to rewrite the scroll. “Take once again a scroll and write on it all of the original words that were on the first scroll that was burned by Yehoiakim the king of Judah.”
• The Prophecy against Yehoiakim: You are to write regarding Yehoiakim the king of Judah that since he has burnt the scroll which had written on it that the king of Babylon will destroy the land of Israel and take man and beast as captives. to which he objected, therefore the following will occur to him:
  • He will not have a successor. No descendant of his will sit on David’s throne ever again.
  • His corpse after his death will be thrown onto the streets, exposed to heat by day and frost by night.
  • Punishment will fall on him, his family, and Jerusalem for ignoring Hashem’s word.

6. The Scroll Rewritten with Added Words (Verse 32)

• Yirmiyahu once again dictated to Baruch all of the words that he is to write on the scroll, which included all of the previous words plus additional prophecies.

[1] Rashi 36:16

[2] Radak 36:22