Jeremiah 36:20 kjv
And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the ears of the king.
Jeremiah 36:20 nkjv
And they went to the king, into the court; but they stored the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words in the hearing of the king.
Jeremiah 36:20 niv
After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him.
Jeremiah 36:20 esv
So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, and they reported all the words to the king.
Jeremiah 36:20 nlt
Then the officials left the scroll for safekeeping in the room of Elishama the secretary and went to tell the king what had happened.
Jeremiah 36 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jeremiah 36:11 | When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the LORD from the scroll, | Commissioning of Baruch |
| Jeremiah 36:10 | Then Baruch read in the scroll the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD's house, on the day when all the people heard all the words of the LORD. | Public reading initiated |
| Jeremiah 36:12 | he went down to the king's house, into the scribe's chamber. And there all the princes were sitting, namely Elishama the scribe, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other princes. | Presentation to princes |
| Jeremiah 36:21 | So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the princes who sat beside the king. | King's initial response |
| Isaiah 30:8 | Now go, write this upon a tablet before them and inscribe it on a scroll, that it may be a record for the time to come as a witness against them. | Command to write the message |
| Ezekiel 3:10 | Then he said to me, "Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to you, receive into your heart, and hear with your ears. | Commissioning to prophesy |
| Acts 4:31 | And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. | Bold proclamation |
| 1 Corinthians 14:32 | And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets, | Orderly prophecy |
| Hebrews 10:35 | Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. | Perseverance in faith |
| 2 Timothy 3:16 | All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, | Divine inspiration |
| Jeremiah 7:2 | "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. | Public preaching directive |
| Jeremiah 26:2 | Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the LORD all that I command you to speak to them. Do not hold back a word. | Proclaim judgment |
| Proverbs 18:21 | Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. | Power of words |
| Psalm 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. | Guidance of God's word |
| Jeremiah 1:17 | But you, gird up your loins; stand up, and tell them whatever I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. | Courage to speak |
| Matthew 10:27 | And what I tell you in the dark, pronounce in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. | Public declaration |
| Jeremiah 20:2 | Then Pashhur the priest who was also the commander of the guard in the temple of the LORD, arrested Jeremiah the prophet for this very thing. | Opposition to prophets |
| Ezekiel 2:4-7 | For they are rebellious men... And whether they hear or refuse to hear—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, be neither afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words... | Prophet's duty |
| John 15:20 | Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. | Persecution of believers |
| Romans 10:14 | How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? | Preaching the Gospel |
Jeremiah 36 verses
Jeremiah 36 20 Meaning
Jeremiah 36:20 declares that a scroll, containing God's judgment against Judah, was placed in the chamber of Gemariah, son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court of the LORD's house. This verse marks the point where the scroll was made known to the princes of Judah, setting the stage for the dramatic events that followed. It signifies the formal presentation of God's warning, delivered by Jeremiah through his scribe Baruch, to the highest officials of Jerusalem. The specific location, the upper court of the LORD's house, emphasizes the sacred and public nature of this divine message.
Jeremiah 36 20 Context
Jeremiah 36 narrates the pivotal moment when God commands Jeremiah to write down all the words that the LORD had spoken to him from the time of Josiah's reign until that day. Jeremiah, unable to go to the temple himself, dictated these words to his scribe, Baruch. Baruch then read this scroll publicly in the house of the LORD. This reading took place during a significant time of impending doom for Jerusalem, following years of unfaithfulness and resistance to God's prophets. The political and spiritual climate was dire, with the Babylonian threat looming large. This particular verse, verse 20, describes the subsequent action taken after the princes were informed of the scroll's contents: the scroll was deposited in Gemariah's chamber, a scribe and son of Shaphan, located in the upper court of the temple. This implies a temporary holding or presentation of the scroll to these officials, preceding further events.
Jeremiah 36 20 Word Analysis
And (Hebrew: וְ - ve): A common conjunction used to link clauses and indicate continuation of action.
it (Hebrew: אֹתוֹ - otoh): Refers back to the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies.
was put (Hebrew: יָשׂוּם - yasum): The Hiphil perfect tense of the verb שׂוּם (sum), meaning "to place," "to set," or "to put." Here, it signifies the action of placing the scroll.
in the chamber (Hebrew: בַּלִּשְׁכָה - ba'lishkah): Indicates a specific room or cell within a larger structure. The definite article implies a known chamber.
of Gemariah (Hebrew: לִגְמַרְיָהוּ - liG'maryahu): Identifies the owner or occupant of the chamber. Gemariah is a recognizable figure as the son of Shaphan, a scribe, placing him in a position of some importance. The ending "-yahu" is a contraction of Yahweh.
son of Shaphan (Hebrew: בֶּן־שָׁפָן - ben-Shaphan): Provides genealogical information, connecting Gemariah to his father Shaphan, who was also a scribe and a figure during Josiah's reign (2 Kings 22:3, 8).
the scribe (Hebrew: הַסֹּפֵר - ha'sofer): Identifies Shaphan's profession. The definite article emphasizes his known role.
in the court (Hebrew: בֶּחָצֵר - ba'hatzer): Refers to an enclosed open space, commonly found within the temple complex.
upper (Hebrew: הָעֶלְיוֹנָה - ha'elyonah): The feminine definite adjective modifying "court," indicating its elevated position within the temple precincts.
in the house (Hebrew: בְּבֵית - be'veit): Denotes the location as being within the temple building itself.
of the LORD (Hebrew: יְהוָה - Yahweh): The covenant name of God, emphasizing the sacred context of the event occurring within His dwelling place.
Words-group analysis: "In the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe" - this phrase establishes not only a specific physical location but also introduces a character who is part of the literate and potentially influential class in Jerusalem, son of a notable official. The specific placement within "the upper court, in the house of the LORD" highlights the temple's centrality and the official nature of the scroll's deposition within its precincts.
Jeremiah 36 20 Bonus Section
The action described here, placing the scroll in a particular chamber, serves as a moment of pause before the critical confrontation with King Jehoiakim. It highlights how God's word, even when presented with grave warnings, was initially processed through human structures and officials. The choice of Gemariah's chamber suggests a possibility of sympathetic ears among the elite, or at least a formal protocol. The parallel with how King Josiah reacted to the discovery of the Law in 2 Kings 22, where the scroll was taken to Shaphan, Gemariah's father, for him to read to the king, might hint at an inherited awareness of sacred texts and their importance, even if ultimately overridden by disobedience. This act of placing the scroll shows that the divine message had officially entered the realm of the ruling council before being presented to the monarch, underlining the gravity of the impending decision.
Jeremiah 36 20 Commentary
This verse details the provisional deposit of God's message, as proclaimed by Jeremiah and recorded by Baruch. The scroll was not destroyed, nor immediately confronted, but rather placed within the sacred space of the temple, in a chamber associated with a scribe. This implies a degree of respect or official process by at least some of the princes who heard it. The mention of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, links this event to earlier reformations under King Josiah, where Shaphan played a significant role (2 Kings 22). The "upper court" signifies a more prominent or perhaps administrative part of the temple. This placement was a critical juncture, moving the prophecy from a direct reading to being officially held within the religious and political heart of Jerusalem, awaiting the king's reaction and God's unfolding plan. It demonstrates the structured transmission of divine communication within the societal framework.