Jeremiah 36 23

Jeremiah 36:23 kjv

And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

Jeremiah 36:23 nkjv

And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe's knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.

Jeremiah 36:23 niv

Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe's knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.

Jeremiah 36:23 esv

As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot.

Jeremiah 36:23 nlt

Each time Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king took a knife and cut off that section of the scroll. He then threw it into the fire, section by section, until the whole scroll was burned up.

Jeremiah 36 verses

Jeremiah 36 23 Meaning

This verse describes King Jehoiakim's forceful rejection of God's message, delivered through the prophet Jeremiah and his scribe Baruch. Jehoiakim not only refused to read the scroll but cut it in pieces with a scribe's knife and burned it in the fire. This act signifies his defiance and contempt for divine authority and warning.

Jeremiah 36 23 Context

Jeremiah chapter 36 details a pivotal event in Jeremiah's ministry during the reign of King Jehoiakim. Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had already begun his invasions, and the people of Judah were facing imminent destruction due to their continued disobedience to God. God instructed Jeremiah to write all the pronouncements against Israel and Judah on a scroll (Jeremiah 36:2). Jeremiah dictated these words to his scribe, Baruch. Baruch then read this scroll publicly in the Temple, and later to the officials and the king himself.

This specific verse, Jeremiah 36:23, records King Jehoiakim's violent reaction. Instead of repenting, he demonstrates extreme disrespect and defiance towards God's word and prophet. He contemptuously cuts the scroll and throws it into the fire. This act seals his doom and that of his kingdom, as it represents a final, hardened rejection of divine warning and a plea for repentance. The historical context is critical: Jerusalem is threatened, and this rejection signifies the king's ultimate, stubborn rebellion against God's will and counsel, sealing Judah's fate of exile.

Jeremiah 36 23 Word Analysis

• And (וְ — ve): A conjunction linking this action to the preceding one, emphasizing the sequence of events.
• he (הוא — hu’): Referring to King Jehoiakim.
• took (וַיִּקַּח — vayyiqach): Imperfect tense, indicating an action that occurred as a consequence of what came before; he seized or grasped.
• the knife (אֶת־הַמַּאֲכֶ֫לֶת — et-hama'akhelet): Ma'akhelet refers to a cutting tool, often a scribe's knife or penknife used for sharpening reeds or cutting parchment. It highlights the methodical yet destructive nature of the king's act.
• the scribe’s knife (וְאֶת־קַלָּמְךָ — ve'et-qallamkha): This phrase appears to be a textual variation or a repetition emphasizing the specific type of knife. Some scholarly translations suggest it could be referring to a scribe's writing implement rather than a cutting tool itself, implying the very tool used for divine message was used to destroy it. However, the common interpretation links it to a cutting knife.
• and cut (וַיְגְזָרֶ֫נָּה — vaygezerennah): "Gazar" means to cut, divide, or decree. Here it denotes a sharp, decisive cutting. The suffix "ennah" refers to the scroll.
• it (אֹתָהּ — otah): The accusative marker followed by the pronoun, referring to the scroll (מְגִלָּה — megillah).
• in pieces (לַפִּסִּים — lapissim): "Pessim" refers to pieces or fragments. This emphasizes the thorough destruction of the scroll.
• and cast (וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ — vayashlech): "Shalach" means to throw, cast, or send. It signifies discarding and contempt.
• it (אֹתָהּ — otah): Again, referring to the scroll.
• into the fire (בָּאֵשׁ — ba'esh): Into the fire, a symbol of destruction, purification, or judgment in scripture.
• that was on the hearth (אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הָאֵ֫תֶּרֶת — asher-'al-ha'ettheret): Ettheret specifically refers to a brazier or a hearth. This details the location where the scroll was burned, making the act concrete.
• until (עַד־אֲשֶׁר — ad-asher): Indicates the extent of the destruction; until the point where.
• all the scroll (כָּל־הַמְּגִלָּה — kol-haggillah): Emphasizes that the entire document, containing God's words, was consumed.
• was consumed (תִּכְלֶה — tikhlah): Future tense, referring to the completion of the action by the fire; to finish, to be ended, to be consumed.
• by the fire (בָּאֵשׁ — ba'esh): Reinforces the agent of destruction.
• on the hearth (אֲשֶׁר־עַל־הָאֵ֫תֶּרֶת — asher-'al-ha'ettheret): Repeating the location of consumption.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "the knife, the scribe's knife": This doubling might stress the irony of a tool meant for recording sacred words being used for their destruction, or it might simply emphasize the deliberateness of the act using a specific, known instrument.
• "cut it in pieces and cast it into the fire": This phrase vividly portrays an act of deliberate vandalism and defiance. The king isn't just setting it aside; he's violently mutilating and incinerating God's message.
• "until all the scroll was consumed by the fire": This finality underscores the king's absolute rejection; there was no part of the message he wished to preserve or consider. It represents a total, irreversible act of defiance against the divine word.

Jeremiah 36 23 Bonus Section

This act by Jehoiakim directly led to God’s further pronouncement of judgment not only on Jehoiakim himself ("his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and to the frost by night" - Jer 36:30) but also on his descendants and his entire nation, cementing their impending exile to Babylon. Baruch was later told to write a new scroll, reiterating God's word, signifying its indestructible nature (Jer 36:28). This event also showcases the intense persecution faced by prophets in their faithful proclamation of God’s will. The imagery of burning a sacred scroll resonates with later scriptural warnings against adding to or taking away from God's prophetic word, as seen in Revelation 22:18-19.

Jeremiah 36 23 Commentary

King Jehoiakim's action in Jeremiah 36:23 is a profound display of rebellion. He chooses destruction over discernment, contempt over consideration. This is not merely a king destroying a document; it's humanity's repeated defiance against the divine message of hope and warning. The fire used is significant: while fire can purify, here it serves to obliterate truth. Jehoiakim's act tragically confirms Jeremiah's prophecies of impending judgment for Judah, particularly his own dynasty, as later accounts attest. The prophetic word is attacked, but it is God's word, which cannot be ultimately destroyed, though its reception can be rejected. This mirrors how Jesus’s words were also rejected by many.

Practical Usage:

• Recognizing the cost of rejecting God's word.
• Understanding that defiance against divine truth carries severe consequences.
• Appreciating the faithfulness of those like Jeremiah and Baruch who persisted despite persecution.