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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
J E R E M I A H.
CHAP. XXXVI.
Here is another expedient tried to work upon this heedless and untoward
people, but it is tried in vain. A roll of a book is provided,
containing an abstract or abridgment of all the sermons that Jeremiah
had preached to them, that they might be put in mind of what they had
heard and might the better understand it, when they had it all before
them at one view. Now here we have,
I. The writing of this roll by Baruch, as Jeremiah dictated it,
II. The reading of the roll by Baruch to all the people publicly on a
fast-day
(ver. 5-10),
afterwards by Baruch to the princes privately
(ver. 11-19),
and lastly by Jehudi to the king,
III. The burning of the roll by the king, with orders to prosecute
Jeremiah and Baruch,
IV. The writing of another roll, with large additions, particularly of
Jehoiakim’s doom for burning the former,
| The Roll Written by Baruch. | B. C. 607. |
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1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son
of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from
the LORD, saying,
2 Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words
that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah,
and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from
the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil
which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man
from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their
sin.
4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch
wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which
he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.
5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I
cannot go into the house of the LORD:
6 Therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast
written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the
people in the LORD‘s house upon the fasting day: and also thou
shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their
cities.
7 It may be they will present their supplication before the
LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is
the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this
people.
8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that
Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words
of the LORD in the LORD‘s house.
In the beginning of Ezekiel’s prophecy we meet with a roll
written in vision, for discovery of the things therein contained
to the prophet himself, who was to receive and digest them,
Here, in the latter end of Jeremiah’s prophecy, we meet with a
roll written in fact, for discovery of the things contained
therein to the people, who were to hear and give heed to them; for the
written word and other good books are of great use both to ministers
and people. We have here,
I. The command which God gave to Jeremiah to write a summary of his
sermons, of all the reproofs and all the warnings he had given in God’s
name to his people, ever since he first began to be a preacher, in the
thirteenth year of Josiah, to this day, which was in the fourth
year of Jehoiakim,
What had been only spoken must now be written, that it might be
reviewed, and that it might spread the further and last the longer.
What had been spoken at large, with frequent repetitions of the same
things, perhaps in the same words (which has its advantage one way),
must now be contracted and put into less compass, that the several
parts of it might be better compared together, which has its advantage
another way. What they had heard once must be recapitulated, and
rehearsed to them again, that what was forgotten might be called to
mind again and what made no impression upon them at the first hearing
might take hold of them when they heard it the second time. And what
was perhaps already written, and published in single sermons, must be
collected into one volume, that none might be lost. Note, The writing
of the scripture is by divine appointment. And observe the reason here
given for the writing of this roll
(v. 3):
It may be the house of Judah will hear. Not that the divine
prescience was at any uncertainty concerning the event: with that there
is no peradventure; God knew certainly that they would deal very
treacherously,
Isa. xlviii. 8.
But the divine wisdom directed to this as a proper means for attaining
the desired end: and, if it failed, they would be the more inexcusable.
And, though God foresaw that they would not hear, he did not tell the
prophet so, but prescribed this method to him as a probably one to be
used, in the hopes that they would hear, that is, heed and
regard what they heard, take notice of it and mix faith with it: for
otherwise our hearing the word, though an angel from heaven were to
read or preach it to us, would stand us in no stead. Now observe here,
1. What it is hoped they will thus hear: All that evil which I
purpose to do unto them. Note, The serious consideration of the
certain fatal consequences of sin will be of great use to us to bring
us to God.
2. What it is hoped will be produced thereby: They will hear, that
they may return every man from his evil way. Note, The conversion
of sinners from their evil courses is that which ministers should aim
at in preaching; and people hear the word in vain if that point be not
gained with them. To what purpose do we hear of the evil God will bring
upon us for sin if we continue, notwithstanding, to do evil against
him?
3. Of what vast advantage their consideration and conversion will be to
them: That I may forgive their iniquity. This plainly implies
the honour of God’s justice, with which it is not consistent that he
should forgive the sin unless the sinner repent of it and turn from it;
but it plainly expresses the honour of his mercy, that he is very ready
to forgive sin and only waits till the sinner be qualified to receive
forgiveness, and therefore uses various means to bring us to
repentance, that he may forgive.
II. The instructions which Jeremiah gave to Baruch his scribe, pursuant
to the command he had received from God, and the writing of the roll
accordingly,
v. 4.
God bade Jeremiah write, but, it should seem, he had not the pen of
a ready writer, he could not write fast, or fair, so as Baruch
could, and therefore he made use of him as his amanuensis. St. Paul
wrote but few of his epistles with his own hand,
God dispenses his gifts variously; some have a good faculty at
speaking, others at writing, and neither can say to the other, We have
no need of you,
1 Cor. xii. 21.
The Spirit of God dictated to Jeremiah, and he to Baruch, who had been
employed by Jeremiah as trustee for him in his purchase of the field
and now was advanced to be his scribe and substitute in his prophetical
office; and, if we may credit the apocryphal book that bears his name,
he was afterwards himself a prophet to the captives in Babylon. Those
that begin low are likely to rise high, and it is good for those that
are designed for prophets to have their education under prophets and to
be serviceable to them. Baruch wrote what Jeremiah dictated in a
roll of a book on pieces of parchment, or vellum, which were
joined together, the top of one to the bottom of the other, so making
one long scroll, which was rolled perhaps upon a staff.
III. The orders which Jeremiah gave to Baruch to read what he had
written to the people. Jeremiah, it seems was shut up, and
could not go to the house of the Lord himself,
v. 5.
Though he was not a close prisoner, for then there would have been no
occasion to send officers to seize him
(v. 26),
yet he was forbidden by the king to appear in the temple, was shut out
thence where he might be serving God and doing good, which was as bad
to him as if he had been shut up in a dungeon. Jehoiakim was ripening
apace for ruin when he thus silenced God’s faithful messengers. But,
when Jeremiah could not go to the temple himself, he sent one that was
deputed by him to read to the people what he would himself have said.
Thus St. Paul wrote epistles to the churches which he could not visit
in person. Nay, it was what he himself had often said to them. Note,
The writing and repeating of the sermons that have been preached may
contribute very much towards the answering of the great ends of
preaching. What we have heard and known it is good for us to hear
again, that we may know it better. To preach and write the same thing
is safe and profitable, and many times very necessary
(Phil. iii. 1),
and we must be glad to hear a good word from God, though we have it, as
here, at second hand. Both ministers and people must do what they can
when they cannot do what they would. Observe, When God ordered the
reading of the roll he said, It may be they will hear and return
from their evil ways,
v. 3.
When Jeremiah orders it, he says, It may be they will pray (they
will present their supplications before the Lord) and will
return from their evil way. Note, Prayer to God for grace to
turn us is necessary in order to our turning; and those that are
convinced by the word of God of the necessity of returning to him will
present their supplications to him for that grace. And the
consideration of this, that great is the anger which God has
pronounced against us for sin, should quicken both our prayers and
our endeavours. Now, according to these orders, Baruch did read out
of the book the words of the Lord, whenever there was a holy
convocation,
v. 8.
| Baruch Reads the Roll to the Princes. | B. C. 607. |
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9 And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed
a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all
the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.
10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the
house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan
the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of
the LORD‘s house, in the ears of all the people.
11 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had
heard out of the book all the words of the LORD,
12 Then he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s
chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the
scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of
Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of
Hananiah, and all the princes.
13 Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had
heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.
14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah,
the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take
in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the
people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in
his hand, and came unto them.
15 And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our
ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
16 Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they
were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will
surely tell the king of all these words.
17 And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou
write all these words at his mouth?
18 Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words
unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.
19 Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and
Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.
It should seem that Baruch had been frequently reading out of the book,
to all companies that would give him the hearing, before the most
solemn reading of it altogether which is here spoken of; for the
directions were given about it in the fourth year of Jehoiakim,
whereas this was done in the fifth year,
v. 9.
But some think that the writing of the book fairly over took up so much
time that it was another year ere it was perfected; and yet perhaps it
might not be past a month or two; he might begin in the latter end of
the fourth year and finish it in the beginning of the fifth, for
thee ninth month refers to the computation of the year in
general, not to the year of that reign. Now observe here,
1. The government appointed a public fast to be religiously observed
(v. 9),
on account either of the distress they were brought into by the army of
the Chaldeans or of the want of rain
(ch. xiv. 1):
They proclaimed a fast to the people; whether the king and
princes or the priests, ordered this fast, is not certain; but it was
plain that God by his providence called them aloud to it. Note, Great
shows of piety and devotion may be found even among those who, though
they keep up these forms of godliness, are strangers and enemies
to the power of it. But what will such hypocritical services
avail? Fasting, without reforming and turning away from sin, will never
turn away the judgments of God,
Notwithstanding this fast, God proceeded in his controversy with this
people.
2. Baruch repeated Jeremiah’s sermons publicly in the house of the
Lord, on the fast-day. He stood in a chamber that belonged to
Gemariah, and out of a window, or balcony, read to the people that were
in the court,
Note, When we are speaking to God we must be willing to hear from him;
and therefore, on days of fasting and prayer, it is requisite that the
word be read and preached. Hearken unto me, that God may hearken
unto you.
Judg. ix. 7.
For our help in suing out mercy and grace, it is proper that we should
be told of sin and duty.
3. An account was brought of this to the princes that attended the
court and were now together in the secretary’s office, here called
the scribe’s chamber,
v. 12.
It should seem, though the princes had called the people to meet in the
house of God, to fact, and pray, and hear the word, they did not think
fit to attend there themselves, which was a sign that it was not from a
principle of true devotion, but merely for fashion sake, that they
proclaimed this fast. We are willing to hope that it was not with a bad
design, to bring Jeremiah into trouble for his preaching, but with a
good design, to bring the princes into trouble for their sins, that
Michaiah informed the princes of what Baruch had read; for his father
Gemariah so far countenanced Baruch as to lend him his chamber to read
out of. Michaiah finds the princes sitting in the scribe’s
chamber, and tells them they had better have been where he had
been, hearing a good sermon in the temple, which he gives them the
heads of. Note, When we have heard some good word that has affected and
edified us we should be ready to communicate it to others that did not
hear it, for their edification. Out of the abundance of the heart
the mouth speaks.
4. Baruch is sent for, and is ordered to sit down among them and read
it all over again to them
(v. 14, 15),
which he readily did, not complaining that he was weary with his public
work and therefore desiring to be excused, nor upbraiding the princes
with their being absent from the temple, where they might have heard it
when he read it there. Note, God’s ministers must become all things
to all men, if by any means they may gain some, must comply with
them in circumstances, that they may secure the substance. St. Paul
preached privately to those of reputation,
5. The princes were for the present much affected with the word that
was read to them,
Observe, They heard all the words they did not interrupt him,
but very patiently attended to the reading of the whole book; for
otherwise how could they form a competent judgment of it? And, when
they had heard all, they were afraid, were all afraid, one
as well as another; like Felix, who trembled at Paul’s
reasonings. The reproofs were just, the threatenings terrible, and the
predictions now in a fair way to be fulfilled; so that, laying all
together, they were in a great consternation. We are not told what
impressions this reading of the roll made upon the people
(v. 10),
but the princes were put into a fright by it, and (as some read it)
looked one upon another, not knowing what to say. They were all
convinced that it was worthy to be regarded, but none of them had
courage to second it, only they agreed to tell the king of all these
words; and, if he think fit to give credit to them, they will,
otherwise not, no, though it were to prevent the ruin of the nation.
And yet at the same time they knew the king’s mind so far that they
advised Baruch and Jeremiah to hide themselves
(v. 19)
and to shift as they could for their own safety, expecting no other
than that the king, instead of being convinced, would be exasperated.
Note, It is common for sinners, under convictions, to endeavour to
shake them off, by shifting off the prosecution of them to other
persons, as these princes here, or to another more convenient
season, as Felix.
6. They asked Baruch a trifling question, How he wrote all these
words
(v. 17),
as if they suspected there was something extraordinary in it; but
Baruch gives them a plain answer, that there was nothing but what was
common in the manner of the writing–Jeremiah dictated and he wrote,
But thus it is common for those who would avoid the convictions of the
word of God to start needless questions about the way and manner of the
inspiration of it.
| Jeremiah’s Roll Consumed. | B. C. 607. |
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20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid
up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all
the words in the ears of the king.
21 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it
out of Elishama the scribe’s chamber. And Jehudi read it in the
ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood
beside the king.
22 Now the king sat in the winter house in the ninth month: and
there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.
23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or
four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the
fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in
the fire that was on the hearth.
24 Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither
the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.
25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made
intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he
would not hear them.
26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and
Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to
take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid
them.
27 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the
king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the
mouth of Jeremiah, saying,
28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former
words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of
Judah hath burned.
29 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith
the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou
written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come
and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man
and beast?
30 Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He
shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead
body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night
to the frost.
31 And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for
their iniquity; and 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 hearkened not.
32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the
scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of
Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah
had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them
many like words.
We have traced the roll to the people, and to the princes, and here we
are to follow it to the king; and we find,
I. That, upon notice given him concerning it, he sent for it, and
ordered it to be read to him,
He did not desire that Baruch would come and read it himself, who could
read it more intelligently and with more authority and affection than
any one else; nor did he order one of his princes to do it (though it
would have been no disparagement to the greatest of them), much less
would he vouchsafe to read it himself; but Jehudi, one of his pages now
in waiting, who was sent to fetch it, is bidden to read it, who perhaps
scarcely knew how to make sense of it. But those who thus despise the
word of God will soon make it to appear, as this king did, that they
hate it too, and have not only low, but ill thoughts of it.
II. That he had not patience to hear it read through as the princes
had, but, when he had heard three or four leaves read, in a rage
he cut it with his penknife, and threw it piece by piece into
the fire, that he might be sure to see it all consumed,
v. 22, 23.
This was a piece of as daring impiety as a man could lightly be guilty
of, and a most impudent affront to the God of heaven, whose message
this was.
1. Thus he showed his impatience of reproof; being resolved to persist
in sin, he would by no means bear to be told of his faults.
2. Thus he showed his indignation at Baruch and Jeremiah; he would have
cut them in pieces, and burnt them, if he had had them in his reach,
when he was in this passion.
3. Thus he expressed an abstinent resolution never to comply with the
designs and intentions of the warnings given him; he will do what he
will, whatever God by his prophets says to the contrary.
4. Thus he foolishly hoped to defeat the threatenings denounced against
him, as if God knew not how to execute the sentence when the roll was
gone in which it was written.
5. Thus he thought he had effectually provided that the things
contained in this roll should spread no further, which was the care of
the chief priests concerning the gospel,
They had told him how this roll had been read to the people and to the
princes. “But,” says he, “I will take a course that shall prevent its
being read any more.” See what an enmity there is against God in the
carnal mind, and wonder at the patience of God, that he bears with such
indignities done to him.
III. That neither the king himself nor any of his princes were at all
affected with the word: They were not afraid
(v. 24),
no, not those princes that trembled at the word when they heard
it the first time,
So soon, so easily, do good impressions wear off. They showed some
concern till they saw how light the king made of it, and then they
shook off all that concern. They rent not their garments, as
Josiah, this Jehoiakim’s own father, did when he had the book of the
law read to him, though it was not so particular as the contents of
this roll were, nor so immediately adapted to the present posture of
affairs.
IV. That there were three of the princes who had so much sense and
grace left as to interpose for the preventing of the burning of the
roll, but in vain,
If they had from the first shown themselves, as they ought to have
done, affected with the word, perhaps they might have brought the king
to a better mind and have persuaded him to bear it patiently; but
frequently those that will not do the good they should put it out of
their own power to do the good they would.
V. That Jehoiakim, when he had thus in effect burnt God’s warrant by
which he was arrested, as it were in a way of revenge, now that he
thought he had got the better, signed a warrant for the apprehending of
Jeremiah and Baruch, God’s ministers
(v. 26):
But the Lord hid them. The princes bade them abscond
(v. 19),
but it was neither the princes’ care for them nor theirs for themselves
that secured them; it was under the divine protection that they were
safe. Note, God will find out a shelter for his people, though their
persecutors be ever so industrious to get them into their power, till
their hour be come; nay, and then he will himself be their hiding
place.
VI. That Jeremiah had orders and instructions to write in another roll
the same words that were written in the roll which Jehoiakim had burnt,
Note, Though the attempts of hell against the word of God are very
daring, yet not one iota or tittle of it shall fall to the ground, nor
shall the unbelief of man make the word of God of no effect. Enemies
may prevail to burn many a Bible, but they cannot abolish the word of
God, can neither extirpate it nor defeat the accomplishment of it.
Though the tables of the law were broken, they were renewed again; and
so out of the ashes of the roll that was burnt arose another Phoenix.
The word of the Lord endures for ever.
VII. That the king of Judah, though a king, was severely reckoned with
by the King of kings for this indignity done to the written word. God
noticed what it was in the roll that Jehoiakim took so much offense at.
Jehoiakim was angry because it was written therein, saying,
Surely the king of Babylon shall come and destroy this land,
v. 29.
And did not the king of Babylon come two years before this, and
go far towards the destroying of this land? He did so
in his third year,
So that God and his prophets had therefore become his enemies
because they told him the truth, told him of the desolation that
was coming, but at the same time putting him into a fair way to prevent
it. But, if this be the thing he takes so much amiss, let him know,
1. That the wrath of God shall come upon him and his family, in the
first place, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. He shall be cut off, and in
a few weeks his son shall be dethroned, and exchange his royal robes
for prison-garments, so that he shall have none to sit upon the
throne of David; the glory of that illustrious house shall be
eclipsed, and die in him; his dead body shall lie unburied, or,
which comes all to one, he shall be buried with the burial of an
ass, that is, thrown into the next ditch; it shall lie exposed to
all weathers, heat and frost, which will occasion its putrefying
and becoming loathsome the sooner. “Not that his body” (says Mr.
Gataker) “could be sensible of such usage, or himself, being deceased,
of aught that should befal his body; but that the king’s body in such a
condition should be a hideous spectacle, and a horrid monument of God’s
heavy wrath and indignation against him, unto all that should behold
it.” Even his seed and his servants shall fare the worse for
their relation to him
(v. 31),
for they shall be punished, not for his iniquity, but so much the
sooner for their own.
2. That all the evil pronounced against Judah and Jerusalem in that
roll shall be brought upon them. Though the copy be burnt, the original
remains in the divine counsel, which shall again be copied out after
another manner in bloody characters. Note, There is no escaping God’s
judgments by struggling with them. Who ever hardened his heart
against God, and prospered?
VIII. That, when the roll was written anew, there were added to
the former many like words
(v. 32),
many more threatenings of wrath and vengeance; for, since they will yet
walk contrary to God, he will heat the furnace seven times
hotter. Note, As God is in one mind, and none can turn him, so he
has still more arrows in his quiver; and those who contend with God’s
woes do but prepare for themselves heavier of the same kind.
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