Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

1In the fourth year of Jehoiakim (YHWH raises up) son of Josiah (whom YHWH heals) king of Judah (praised), this word came to Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) from the LORD {YHWH}: 2“Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel (he wrestles with God), Judah (praised), and all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you during the reign of Josiah (whom YHWH heals) until today. 3Perhaps when the people of Judah (praised) hear about all the calamity I plan to bring upon them, each of them will turn from his wicked way. Then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

4So Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) called Baruch (blessed) son of Neriah (lamp of YHWH), and at the dictation of Jeremiah, Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words that the LORD {YHWH} had spoken to Jeremiah.

5Then Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) commanded Baruch (blessed), “I am restricted; I cannot enter the house of the LORD {YHWH}; 6so you are to go to the house of the LORD {YHWH} on a day of fasting, and in the hearing of the people you are to read the words of the LORD from the scroll you have written at my dictation. Read them in the hearing of all the people of Judah (praised) who are coming from their cities.

7Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD {YHWH}, and each one will turn from his wicked way; for great are the anger and fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people.”

8So Baruch (blessed) son of Neriah (lamp of YHWH) did everything that Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet had commanded him. In the house of the LORD {YHWH} he read the words of the LORD from the scroll.

9Now in the ninth month of the fifth year of Jehoiakim (YHWH raises up) son of Josiah (whom YHWH heals) king of Judah (praised), a fast before the LORD {YHWH} was proclaimed to all the people of Jerusalem (city of peace) and all who had come there from the cities of Judah. 10{YHWH} From the chamber of Gemariah (YHWH has accomplished) son of Shaphan the scribe, which was in the upper courtyard at the opening of the New Gate of the house of the LORD, Baruch (blessed) read from the scroll the words of Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) in the hearing of all the people.

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Palace

11When Micaiah (who is like God) son of Gemariah (YHWH has accomplished), the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the LORD {YHWH} from the scroll, 12he went down to the scribe’s chamber in the king’s palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama (my God has heard) the scribe, Delaiah (YHWH has drawn) son of Shemaiah (heard by YHWH), Elnathan (God has given) son of Achbor (mouse), Gemariah (YHWH has accomplished) son of Shaphan, Zedekiah (YHWH is righteous) son of Hananiah (God has favored), and all the other officials. 13And Micaiah (who is like God) reported to them all the words he had heard Baruch (blessed) read from the scroll in the hearing of the people.

14Then all the officials sent word to Baruch (blessed) through Jehudi (Jew) son of Nethaniah (given of YHWH), the son of Shelemiah (repaid by YHWH), the son of Cushi (their blackness), saying, “Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come here.”

So Baruch son of Neriah (lamp of YHWH) took the scroll and went to them.

15“Please sit down,” they said, “and read it in our hearing.”

So Baruch (blessed) read it in their hearing.

16When they had heard all these words, they turned to one another in fear and said to Baruch (blessed), “Surely we must report all these words to the king.”

17“Tell us now,” they asked Baruch (blessed), “how did you write all these words? Was it at Jeremiah’s dictation?”

18“It was at his dictation,” Baruch (blessed) replied. “He recited all these words to me and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.”

19Then the officials said to Baruch (blessed), “You and Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) must hide yourselves and tell no one where you⁺ are.”

Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll

20So the officials went to the king in the courtyard. And having stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama (my God has heard) the scribe, they reported everything to the king.

21Then the king sent Jehudi (Jew) to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama (my God has heard) the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the hearing of the king and all the officials who were standing beside him.

22Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters with a fire burning before him. 23And as soon as Jehudi (Jew) had read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll had been consumed by the fire.

24Yet in hearing all these words, the king and his servants did not become frightened or tear their garments. 25Even though Elnathan (God has given), Delaiah (YHWH has drawn), and Gemariah (YHWH has accomplished) urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel (may God have pity), a son of the king, as well as Seraiah (YHWH is ruler) son of Azriel (my help is God) and Shelemiah (repaid by YHWH) son of Abdeel (servant of God), to seize Baruch (blessed) the scribe and Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the prophet. But the LORD {YHWH} had hidden them.

Jeremiah Rewrites the Scroll

27After the king had burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch (blessed) had written at Jeremiah’s (whom YHWH has appointed) dictation, the word of the LORD {YHWH} came to Jeremiah: 28“Take another scroll and rewrite on it the very words that were on the original scroll, which Jehoiakim (YHWH raises up) king of Judah (praised) has burned.

29You are to proclaim concerning Jehoiakim (YHWH raises up) king of Judah (praised) that this is what the LORD {YHWH} says: You have burned the scroll and said, ‘Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon (confusion by mixing) would surely come and destroy this land and deprive it of man and beast?’

30Therefore this is what the LORD {YHWH} says about Jehoiakim (YHWH raises up) king of Judah (praised): He will have no one to sit on David’s (beloved) throne, and his body will be thrown out and exposed to heat by day and frost by night. 31I will punish him and his descendants and servants for their iniquity. I will bring on them, on the residents of Jerusalem (city of peace), and on the men of Judah (praised), all the calamity about which I warned them but they did not listen.”

32Then Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch (blessed) son of Neriah (lamp of YHWH), and at Jeremiah’s dictation he wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim (YHWH raises up) king of Judah (praised) had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.