Jeremiah 36:17
◄  Jeremiah 36:17  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us, how did you come to write all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?"

New Living Translation (©2007)
"But first, tell us how you got these messages. Did they come directly from Jeremiah?"

English Standard Version (©2001)
Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
And they asked Baruch, saying, "Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?"

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us--how did you write all these words? At his dictation?"

International Standard Version (©2012)
Then they asked Baruch, "Please tell us how you wrote all the words. Did Jeremiah dictate them all?"

NET Bible (©2006)
Then they asked Baruch, "How did you come to write all these words? Do they actually come from Jeremiah's mouth?"

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Then they asked Baruch, "Please tell us how you wrote all this. Did Jeremiah dictate it to you?"

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth?

American King James Version
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth?

American Standard Version
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And they asked him, saying: Tell us how didst thou write all these words from his mouth.

Darby Bible Translation
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words from his mouth?

English Revised Version
And they asked Baruch, saying, tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

Webster's Bible Translation
And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

World English Bible
They asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth?

Young's Literal Translation
And they asked Baruch, saying, 'Declare, we pray thee, to us, how didst thou write all these words -- from his mouth?'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

36:9-19 Shows of piety and devotion may be found even among those, who, though they keep up forms of godliness, are strangers and enemies to the power of it. The princes patiently attended the reading of the whole book. They were in great fear. But even those who are convinced to the truth and importance of what they hear, and are disposed to favour those who preach it, often have difficulties and reserves about their safety, interest, or preferment, so that they do not act according to their convictions, and try to get rid of what they find troublesome.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - How didst thou write all these words at his mouth! Two questions seem to be combined here - "How didst thou write all these words?" and "Didst thou write it all at his mouth?" Baruch's answer is good for both.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And they asked Baruch,.... The following question, which may seem at first sight an odd, needless, and trifling one, as some have called it:

saying, tell us now, how didst thou write all these words at his mouth? this question does not regard the manner of writing them, whether with ink or not, for that they could see with their eyes, and yet Baruch's answer seems to have respect to this, as if he so understood them; nor barely the matter of them, as whether it was the substance of what was contained in the roll that Jeremiah dictated, and that only, leaving it to Baruch to use what words he would, or whether the express words were dictated by him; but rather it seems to have regard to the possibility of doing it: by the question it appears, that Baruch had told the princes that the prophet had dictated all these things to him, and he had taken them down in writing from his mouth; now they wanted more satisfaction about the truth of this matter. It was a difficulty with them how it was possible for Jeremiah to recollect so many different discourses and prophecies, delivered at different times, and some many years ago, and so readily dictate them to Baruch, as fast as he could write them; wherefore they desire he would tell them plainly and faithfully the truth of the matter, how it was, that so they might, if they could, affirm it with certainty to the king; since, if this was really fact which he had related, these prophecies originally, and the fresh dictating of them, must be from the Spirit of God, and would certainly have their accomplishment.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

17. What they wished to know was, whether what Baruch had read to them was written by him from memory after hearing Jeremiah repeating his prophecies continuously, or accurately from the prophet's own dictation.

Jeremiah 36:17 Parallel Commentaries

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Jeremiah's Scroll Read in the King's House
…16Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said to Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words. 17And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth? 18Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

John 9:10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked.
John 9:15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."