Jeremiah 36 17

Jeremiah 36:17 kjv

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

Jeremiah 36:17 nkjv

And they asked Baruch, saying, "Tell us now, how did you write all these words?at his instruction?"

Jeremiah 36:17 niv

Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us, how did you come to write all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?"

Jeremiah 36:17 esv

Then they asked Baruch, "Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?"

Jeremiah 36:17 nlt

"But first, tell us how you got these messages. Did they come directly from Jeremiah?"

Jeremiah 36 verses

Jeremiah 36 17 Meaning

When Baruch read Jeremiah's prophecies to the people from a scroll in the house of the Lord, the officials and King Jehoiakim's servants heard them. They subsequently informed the king of Baruch's words.

Jeremiah 36 17 Context

This verse occurs in Jeremiah chapter 36, during a critical period in Judah's history, just before the Babylonian conquest. Jeremiah, as God's prophet, was instructed to write down all the words God had spoken to him against Israel and Judah and all the nations. This compilation, the scroll, was to serve as a prophetic warning. Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe, publicly read this scroll in the temple. The reaction of the officials was one of apprehension, leading them to call for Baruch to reread the message specifically for them, before eventually reporting its contents to King Jehoiakim. This passage highlights the immense authority and weight of God's spoken and written word, and the varied human responses to it – from diligent scribing and fearful listening to outright defiance and destruction.

Jeremiah 36 17 Word Analysis

• And they asked Baruch:

  • "And" (Hebrew: וְ, vav): Connects this verse to the preceding narrative of the princes' reaction.
  • "they" (Hebrew: הֵם, hem): Refers specifically to the princes who heard Baruch read.
  • "asked" (Hebrew: שָׁאֲלוּ, sha’ălu): Implies a seeking for information, an inquiry. The princes wanted to understand the origin of these pronouncements.
  • "Baruch": The name of Jeremiah's scribe.

• saying,

  • "saying" (Hebrew: לֵאמֹר, lē’mōr): Introduces direct speech, indicating the specific question posed.

• Tell us now, how didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

  • "Tell us now" (Hebrew: הַגֵּד נָּא לָנוּ, haggēd nā’ lānū): A direct imperative, seeking immediate clarification. "Nā’" (now/please) adds urgency.
  • "how" (Hebrew: אֵיכָה, ’êḵāh): Inquires about the method or manner of the writing.
  • "didst thou write" (Hebrew: כָּתַבְתָּ, kātavtā): Refers to the physical act of inscription on the scroll.
  • "all these words" (Hebrew: אֵת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה, ’êṯ kol-had’bārîm hā’êlleh): Encompasses the entirety of the prophecy read.
  • "at his mouth" (Hebrew: מִפִּיו, miphîw): This crucial phrase indicates the direct source of the words. It strongly implies that Jeremiah was dictating these words as they came from God, rather than composing them himself. The princes' question aims to understand the prophetic authority behind the writing.

Words Group Analysis

• "Tell us now, how didst thou write all these words at his mouth?": This question from the princes is not just about penmanship. It delves into the very source of the message. Their inquiry ("how didst thou write...at his mouth?") seeks confirmation of whether these were original prophecies dictated by Jeremiah, and by extension, originating from God, or if Baruch had some role in their composition or alteration. This reflects a concern for the message's divine authority and origin, a crucial element in understanding prophetic utterance. It foreshadows the king's rejection of the word when they question its divine origination or its reception.

Jeremiah 36 17 Bonus Section

This verse highlights a pivotal moment where the intermediaries (the princes) pause to understand the mechanism of prophetic transmission before escalating the matter further. Their question to Baruch is essentially an indirect inquiry into Jeremiah's prophetic calling and the divine origin of his message. It reveals their internal struggle – they fear the message, suggesting it has weight and potential truth, but they also need to ascertain its authority. This mirrors the human tendency to question divine pronouncements when they are uncomfortable or challenging. The response, that Jeremiah spoke, and Baruch wrote "at his mouth," affirms that the words were a direct dictation, making them divinely inspired and authoritative. This contrasts sharply with later generations who might try to "write" their own narratives apart from God's word.

Jeremiah 36 17 Commentary

The princes, upon hearing the prophetic warnings read from the scroll, were initially gripped by fear for themselves and perhaps for their own spiritual standing before God. This fear prompted them to seek clarification from Baruch regarding the origin of these weighty words. Their question, "Tell us now, how didst thou write all these words at his mouth?" underscores the critical importance of divine inspiration in the prophetic message. They want to know if these were truly God's words, spoken through Jeremiah and meticulously recorded by Baruch. This desire for confirmation of divine authority is a recurring theme when confronting challenging truths. It also serves as a point of divergence with the later reaction of King Jehoiakim, who, when presented with the same message, did not seek to understand its divine origin but instead sought to destroy it. This verse highlights the crucial step of acknowledging the divine source before a prophet's message can be properly received or rejected.