Jeremiah 36:15 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Jeremiah 36:15 kjv
And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
Jeremiah 36:15 nkjv
And they said to him, "Sit down now, and read it in our hearing." So Baruch read it in their hearing.
Jeremiah 36:15 niv
They said to him, "Sit down, please, and read it to us." So Baruch read it to them.
Jeremiah 36:15 esv
And they said to him, "Sit down and read it." So Baruch read it to them.
Jeremiah 36:15 nlt
"Sit down and read the scroll to us," the officials said, and Baruch did as they requested.
Jeremiah 36 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 24:7 | Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people... | Public reading of God's law. |
| Deut 31:11-12 | when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God... you shall read this law before all Israel... that they may hear... | Command to read the Law publicly. |
| Neh 8:8 | They read from the Book, from the Law of God, clearly... so the people understood the reading. | Clarity in reading and understanding God's word. |
| Isa 2:3 | Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD... that he may teach us his ways..." | People's desire to hear God's instruction. |
| Mic 4:2 | Many nations shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD... that he may teach us his ways..." | Nations seeking God's teaching. |
| Jer 26:7-8 | The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD... | Priests and people hearing prophecy. |
| Amos 7:12-13 | "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there and prophesy there..." | Prophet's message reaching officials. |
| Zeph 1:1 | The word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah... in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah. | Prophetic word to Judah. |
| Jer 25:3 | "From the thirteenth year of Josiah... even to this day, these twenty-three years, the word of the LORD has come to me..." | Jeremiah's persistent prophecy. |
| Jer 35:3-4 | So I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah... and all his brothers... and brought them into the house of the LORD... | Gathered for the purpose of hearing. |
| 1 Ki 22:7 | "Is there not a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may inquire of him?" | Kings consulting prophets for divine word. |
| 2 Ki 22:11 | When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. | King Josiah's immediate response to God's word. |
| Jer 36:4 | Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah... | Baruch's role in writing God's word. |
| Jer 36:10 | Then Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the book in the house of the LORD... | Baruch's initial public reading. |
| Lk 11:28 | "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" | The importance of hearing and obeying. |
| Rom 10:17 | So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. | Hearing the word as source of faith. |
| 1 Thess 2:13 | And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God... you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God... | Accepting God's word for what it is. |
| Heb 4:2 | For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. | Hearing without proper response. |
| Prov 28:9 | If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. | Consequences of ignoring God's word. |
| Eze 3:10 | "Son of man, receive all my words that I speak to you in your heart, and hear with your ears." | Command to truly hear and internalize. |
| 2 Tim 3:16 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof... | The divine inspiration of the written word. |
| Jas 1:22 | But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. | The necessity of action after hearing. |
| Acts 17:11 | ...they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. | Eagerness to hear and verify God's word. |
| Mt 13:18-23 | Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word... | Different responses to hearing the word. |
Jeremiah 36 verses
Jeremiah 36 15 meaning
Jeremiah 36:15 describes the pivotal moment when a group of Judahite officials, having been informed about Baruch's scroll, invited him to present its contents directly to them. This act signals their initial, cautious intent to engage with the divine message, compelling Baruch to read God's words spoken through Jeremiah into their own hearing, likely to gauge its implications and verify its message for themselves before taking it further.
Jeremiah 36 15 Context
Jeremiah chapter 36 opens with God commanding Jeremiah to write down all the prophecies delivered against Israel, Judah, and the nations since the reign of King Josiah, with the specific intent that the people might hear, turn from their evil ways, and receive forgiveness. As Jeremiah was restricted, he dictated the extensive divine message to his faithful scribe, Baruch ben Neriah. Baruch first read this scroll in the temple court before all the people on a fast day, hoping for a national repentance. Micaiah, the son of Gemariah (a royal scribe), heard Baruch and promptly reported it to the other royal officials who were gathered in the scribe's chamber. This verse, Jeremiah 36:15, marks the immediate consequence of Micaiah's report: the officials summon Baruch to hear the content of the scroll for themselves, understanding its grave political and spiritual implications for the nation under King Jehoiakim's oppressive and disobedient reign, which was roughly 605/604 BC.
Jeremiah 36 15 Word analysis
- And they said: Hebrew: וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ (vayyo'mru). The plural verb indicates a collective voice of the assembled officials, not a single individual. This implies a united, deliberate request.
- unto him: Referring to Baruch. He is the immediate conduit of the divine message to these high-ranking individuals.
- Sit down now: Hebrew: שֵֽׁב־נָ֕א (shev-na). "Sit" (שֵׁב - shev) is an imperative, "now" or "please" (נָא - na) softens it into a polite yet firm invitation or request. It suggests a formal setting where focused attention is required. This instruction indicates their intention for a proper, unhurried, and full hearing of the message.
- and read it: Hebrew: וּקְרָאֶ֥נּוּ (uqre'ennu). An imperative, meaning "and read it!" (the scroll mentioned in previous verses). It signifies their urgent desire to hear the specific words, not merely a summary, reinforcing the authenticity and gravity of the written text.
- in our ears: Hebrew: בְּאָזְנֵֽינוּ (be'ozneinu). Literally "in our ears." This phrase emphasizes an auditory, direct reception of the word, highlighting their desire for firsthand hearing. It underscores the importance of the oral proclamation for understanding and legal testimony in ancient Near Eastern contexts. The officials wished to hear the exact wording to assess its implications fully.
- So Baruch read it: Hebrew: וַיִּקְרָא֙ בָּר֣וּךְ (vayyiqra Baruch). "And Baruch read." The immediate execution of the command by Baruch highlights his obedience and faithful performance of his role as the messenger.
- in their ears: Hebrew: בְּאָזְנֵיהֶֽם (be'ozneihém). The repetition of "in their ears" reinforces the action and confirms the successful transmission of the word from Baruch to the listening officials. It underscores the auditory nature of revelation in an era before widespread literacy.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears.": This phrase captures the immediate and decisive action of the officials. Their request for Baruch to "sit down now" suggests a transition from an informal reporting to a formal, respectful, and focused audience for God's message. "Read it in our ears" emphasizes the desire for a direct, unfiltered hearing of the exact words on the scroll. It's a moment of seeking direct divine revelation for themselves.
- "So Baruch read it in their ears.": This confirms Baruch's immediate compliance and faithfulness in delivering the divine message. It illustrates the effectiveness of the prophetic process: God speaks, Jeremiah dictates, Baruch writes, and then Baruch proclaims, making the word accessible to human ears, even to the highest echelons of power.
Jeremiah 36 15 Bonus section
The scene in Jeremiah 36:15 illustrates the inherent authority of the written word even in an oral culture. While spoken prophecy was common, committing God's words to a scroll ensured their preservation, authenticity, and legal weight. This act of "reading it in our ears" transforms the scroll from an abstract object into a living, audible declaration, much like a legal document read aloud in a courtroom. The officials' response highlights the significant role scribes like Baruch played not just in writing but in the oral transmission of these critical divine texts. This emphasis on hearing the precise wording also underscores the Deuteronomic principle that the nation would stand accountable for what they heard from God's prophets (Deut 18:18-19).
Jeremiah 36 15 Commentary
Jeremiah 36:15 presents a critical junction in the saga of God's word confronting Judah's stubbornness. After Baruch's initial public reading, the royal officials—figures of political power and influence—demonstrate a notable attentiveness. Their collective request for Baruch to "sit down" and "read it in our ears" reveals a deliberate and formal intent to thoroughly absorb the prophecy, moving beyond hearsay to direct apprehension. This indicates an understanding of the gravity of a prophetic message in ancient Israel and perhaps an innate political instinct to understand the implications of such an utterance for King Jehoiakim's regime. Baruch's immediate compliance solidifies his consistent role as the faithful, obedient bearer of a dangerous divine truth. This private hearing for the officials serves as a crucial interlude, foreshadowing their difficult duty of presenting this judgment-laden scroll to the volatile king, thereby extending the reach of God's unheeded warning directly into the corridors of power.