Jeremiah 36 2

Jeremiah 36:2 kjv

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.

Jeremiah 36:2 nkjv

"Take a scroll of a book and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel, against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah even to this day.

Jeremiah 36:2 niv

"Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah till now.

Jeremiah 36:2 esv

"Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.

Jeremiah 36:2 nlt

"Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time.

Jeremiah 36 verses

Jeremiah 36 2 meaning

Jeremiah 36:2 is a direct command from God to the prophet Jeremiah to compile all divine messages he has received since his call into a physical scroll. This scroll was to contain pronouncements against Israel, Judah, and all the surrounding nations, encapsulating the entire body of prophetic warning and judgment delivered up to that point. The purpose was to ensure the preservation and widespread hearing of God's word, specifically as a final call to repentance amidst prevailing disobedience before inevitable judgment.

Jeremiah 36 2 Context

Jeremiah chapter 36 occurs in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign (605 BC), roughly 23 years into Jeremiah's prophetic ministry. At this point, the political landscape is volatile: Egypt has been defeated by Babylon at Carchemish, solidifying Babylon's ascendancy in the Near East. Despite decades of Jeremiah's persistent oral warnings, King Jehoiakim and the people of Judah remain steeped in idolatry, injustice, and a false sense of security, rejecting God's repeated calls for repentance.

God's command in verse 2 to write down all the accumulated prophecies serves as a final, comprehensive, and undeniable declaration of His will. It prepares for a public reading, hoping that hearing the collected words of judgment might finally prick the consciences of the people and the king, averting the impending Babylonian invasion. It underscores the urgency of the moment, marking a transition from purely oral proclamation to the authoritative written word, which, as subsequent verses show, would face rejection but ultimately endure and be preserved.

Jeremiah 36 2 Word analysis

• Take thee (לְקַח־לְךָ֙ – lĕqaḥ-ləḵā): An emphatic imperative, a direct divine command to Jeremiah. It signifies an intentional and urgent act required of the prophet, underlining his role as an obedient servant.
• a roll of a book (מְגִלַּת־סֵ֔פֶר – megillat-sēp̄er):
  • Megillah (מְגִלָּה): Refers specifically to a "scroll," a rolled manuscript, typically made from prepared animal skin or papyrus. This was the standard format for ancient texts, distinct from tablets.
  • Sepher (סֵפֶר): Generally means "book," "document," or "writing."
  • Combined, megillat-sēpher stresses the tangible, written nature of the command – a document to be carefully preserved and publicly read.
• and write therein (וְכָתַבְתָּ֣ עָלֶ֗יהָ – wəḵāṯaḇtā ʿāleyhā): Kaṯaḇ (כתב) means "to write." This is the core action commanded. The act of writing makes the transient spoken word permanent, creating an unalterable witness and record of God's message.
• all the words (אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֗ים – ʾeṯ-kāl-hadəḇārîm): Kol-haddevarim signifies the totality and completeness of the divine utterances. None are to be omitted or altered. Dāḇār (דָּבָר) translates as "word," "message," "matter," or "thing," emphasizing the content of God's revealed message. This comprehensive collection stresses the faithfulness required of the prophet to transmit every part of God's communication without reservation.
• that I have spoken unto thee (אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי אֵלֶ֜יךָ – ʾăšer dibbartî ʾêleyḵā): Establishes the divine origin and authority of the message. Jeremiah is merely the divinely appointed conduit, not the source, ensuring the message's veracity and power are rooted in God Himself.
• against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations (עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל וְעַל־יְהוּדָה֩ וְעַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ – ʿal-yiśrāʾēl wəʿal-yəhûḏāh wəʿal-kol-haggôyim):
  • ʿAl (עַל): Here implies both "against" (denouncing, judging) and "concerning" (proclaiming with authority to).
  • Israel: Refers to the northern kingdom, though by this time largely exiled. God's message still addresses the collective covenant people.
  • Judah: The southern kingdom, Jeremiah's immediate audience and the primary focus of his warnings.
  • all the nations (haggôyim): This universal scope underlines God's sovereignty over all peoples, challenging the notion of limited tribal deities. God's judgment and redemptive plans extend beyond His covenant people to encompass the entire world. It also served as a polemic against local idolatries and imperialistic pride.
• from the day I spake unto thee, even unto this day (מִן־הַיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְתִּי אֵלֶ֜יךָ מִימֵי֙ יֹאשִׁיָּ֔הוּ עַד֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה – min-hayyôm ʾăšer dibbartî ʾêleyḵā mîmê yôšîyyāhû ʿaḏ hayyôm hazzêh): The Masoretic Text more explicitly includes "in the days of Josiah." This temporal span, covering roughly 23 years (from Jeremiah's call in Josiah's 13th year to Jehoiakim's 4th year), indicates a complete and enduring record of God's communication and patience. It underscores the consistent nature of God's message throughout a generation, despite varied political and spiritual climates.

Words-group analysis:

• "Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words": This command marks the crucial transition from the fleeting oral tradition to a tangible, durable written form of divine revelation. It ensures that God's complete message, previously delivered verbally, is permanently recorded, providing an objective and authoritative testament to His communication with humanity. This act safeguards the prophetic word from misinterpretation or selective memory.
• "against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations": This phrase illuminates the expansive scope of God's sovereign authority and concern. It shows that God's message, primarily one of judgment and a call to repentance in this context, is not confined to His covenant people alone. Instead, His righteous standards and judgment apply universally, touching upon the unfaithfulness within Israel and Judah, and the wickedness prevalent among the gentile powers. It paints God as the sovereign Lord of all history and all peoples.
• "from the day I spake unto thee, even unto this day": This segment highlights the historical depth and continuity of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry and, more significantly, the consistency of God's warnings. It implies a faithful record of a long-standing dialogue between God and His prophet, comprising numerous individual prophecies given over a span of two decades. This comprehensive record emphasizes God's persistent grace and patience, providing ample warning before the ultimate unfolding of judgment.

Jeremiah 36 2 Bonus section

• The instruction to write a "scroll of a book" was significant. Unlike transient spoken words or temporary clay tablets, a scroll made of parchment or papyrus was meant for more permanent record-keeping and public reading. It solidified the message as authoritative and non-negotiable.
• The immediate, human intention for this scroll, as explained in the subsequent verses of the chapter, was hopeful: that upon hearing all the recorded disasters and warnings, the people of Judah, perhaps even King Jehoiakim, might repent and turn from their evil ways. This demonstrates God's continuous desire for people to return to Him, even in the face of deep-seated rebellion.
• This command to write set a precedent, affirming the importance of a written canon of Scripture for future generations, rather than relying solely on oral tradition. It underscores the biblical emphasis on the written word as a primary medium for conveying divine truth.

Jeremiah 36 2 Commentary

Jeremiah 36:2 is a profound testament to God's methodology in preserving His revealed word. It transforms what began as spontaneous, spoken prophecies into enduring Scripture, thereby amplifying its authority, ensuring its accuracy, and extending its reach across generations. This specific divine directive underscored a critical moment in Judah's spiritual history: despite persistent oral warnings, the people remained unrepentant. The compilation of a comprehensive scroll served as a monumental and unified appeal, a clear historical record that chronicled God's sustained interaction and patient warnings from Jeremiah's earliest call. The breadth of its addressed recipients—Israel, Judah, and all nations—emphatically demonstrates God's universal sovereignty and the comprehensive nature of His moral standards. The divine intent was to provoke repentance through an undeniable, tangible witness to His holy will, an objective made even clearer when Baruch read it publicly. This act of writing marked a formal crystallization of divine judgment and mercy, an unchanging document of God's covenant faithfulness and justice, destined to bear witness to the end of time, whether heeded or rejected.