Jeremiah 36 7

Jeremiah 36:7 kjv

It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD, and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.

Jeremiah 36:7 nkjv

It may be that they will present their supplication before the LORD, and everyone will turn from his evil way. For great is the anger and the fury that the LORD has pronounced against this people."

Jeremiah 36:7 niv

Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD and will each turn from their wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this people by the LORD are great."

Jeremiah 36:7 esv

It may be that their plea for mercy will come before the LORD, and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people."

Jeremiah 36:7 nlt

Perhaps even yet they will turn from their evil ways and ask the LORD's forgiveness before it is too late. For the LORD has threatened them with his terrible anger."

Jeremiah 36 verses

Jeremiah 36 7 Meaning

Jeremiah 36:7 declares that if Baruch, the scribe, does not proclaim the words of the LORD and the prophecies contained in the scroll to the people within the Temple, he will bear guilt. This verse emphasizes the accountability and divine mandate placed upon both the prophet (Jeremiah) and his scribe (Baruch) to faithfully deliver God's message. It highlights the critical importance of obeying God's command, even in the face of potential opposition or personal danger. The failure to communicate God's word would not go unnoticed or unpunished; personal responsibility for sin, or the lack of sharing God's salvation, is a recurring theme.

Jeremiah 36 7 Context

Jeremiah 36:7 is situated within a crucial chapter detailing God's judgment upon Judah. The Babylonian siege is imminent, and Jeremiah, by God's command, instructs his scribe Baruch to write all the prophecies against Israel, Judah, and all the nations, and to read them aloud in the Temple during a fast day. This verse highlights Baruch's personal responsibility in this prophetic act. The context is one of impending national doom due to persistent disobedience to God's word, and the prophetic message is a final call to repentance before total destruction. The reading of the scroll was intended to serve as a public testimony and a last chance for the people to turn from their sins.

Jeremiah 36 7 Word Analysis

• "For": Introduces a reason or explanation for the following statement.

• "Baruch": (Hebrew: בָּרוּךְ, Baruch) Meaning "blessed" or "consecrated." He was Jeremiah's faithful scribe and companion.

• "shall go": (Hebrew: יִתֵּן, yiten) Can mean "will give" or "will deliver," referring to the action of presenting the message.

• "into the house of the LORD": Refers to the Temple in Jerusalem, the central place of worship.

• " and shall cry": (Hebrew: וְקָרָא, v’kara) Means to "call out" or "proclaim," indicating a public and loud announcement.

• "unto the people": Specifies the audience – the general populace of Jerusalem and Judah.

• "in the house of the LORD": Repetition emphasizes the sacred and public nature of the proclamation, within the sacred space.

• "all the words of the LORD": Refers to the entirety of the prophetic message contained in the scroll that Jeremiah dictated.

• "upon them": Signifies the impact or the recipient of the proclamation.

• "in the ears of the people": Highlights that the message is meant to be heard and understood by the people directly.

• "on that day": Refers to the specific day appointed for the reading, the fast day mentioned in verse 6.

• "that they": Refers to the people within the Temple.

• "may hear": Implies that the purpose of the public reading is for the people to gain knowledge and potentially respond.

• "their iniquity": (Hebrew: עֲוֹנָם, avonam) Denotes their guilt, transgression, or sinfulness, specifically referring to the sins of the people being proclaimed against.

• "and their sin": (Hebrew: וְחֶטְאָם, v’chetam) Further emphasizes the state of wrongdoing.

• "that is therein": Denotes the sin that is present within the people or within the Temple.

• "and thou": Addresses Baruch directly.

• "shall bear": (Hebrew: תִּשָּׂא, tisa) Indicates personal responsibility or carrying the burden of guilt.

• "their iniquity": Reinforces the accountability for the sins of others, through the act of not conveying the message accurately or completely, or through failing to fulfill his commission. This implies that even as a scribe, Baruch had a measure of responsibility for the people hearing and responding to God's word. The responsibility here is more about failing in his divinely appointed task of proclamation, which in turn allows their sin and its consequences to remain unaddressed by them.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "For Baruch shall go into the house of the LORD, and shall cry unto the people in the house of the LORD all the words of the LORD upon them in the ears of the people on that day": This phrase sets up the mandate for Baruch to publicly and audibly deliver Jeremiah's message in the most significant public space of worship.
  • "that they may hear their iniquity and their sin that is therein, and thou shalt bear their iniquity": This clause details the purpose of the proclamation – for the people to confront their own sin and its inherent guilt. It also establishes Baruch's personal consequence ("thou shalt bear their iniquity") if he fails to perform this essential duty of transmission, highlighting the grave responsibility of being an intermediary for God's word. His "bearing iniquity" is not being guilty of their sin, but rather being held accountable if the message of their sin is not conveyed, or if the mechanism of repentance is obstructed due to his failure.

Jeremiah 36 7 Bonus Section

The historical context of a "fast day" (mentioned in v. 6 and relevant here) often signified periods of seeking God’s favor in times of distress or national calamity. By ordering the reading of these severe prophecies on such a day, Jeremiah and Baruch were directly challenging the people’s understanding of their current predicament and calling them to a true, repentance-focused fasting rather than a superficial observance. The message contained in the scroll was an indictment against the entire nation for generations of disobedience. The potential "iniquity" and "sin" referred to Baruch bearing, implies that failure in conveying God's judgment meant failure in allowing the possibility of averting it through repentance. Baruch's actions, as recorded in this chapter, ultimately led to the scroll being read before King Jehoiakim and subsequent persecution. This experience fortified his faith and relationship with Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 36 7 Commentary

This verse underscores the divine commissioning and personal accountability of those tasked with delivering God's message. Baruch, as Jeremiah's scribe, was not merely a passive recorder but an active participant in prophecy. His role was to proclaim the divine oracle to the people in the most public and sacred setting, the Temple. The verse explicitly states the purpose: that the people might "hear their iniquity and their sin," a clear call to self-reflection and repentance. The consequence for Baruch’s potential failure is stark: "thou shalt bear their iniquity." This means he would be held responsible before God if he failed to deliver the message faithfully, essentially hindering the people's opportunity to repent. This highlights the critical nature of obedience in ministry and the solemnity of proclaiming God’s word, even when it concerns judgment. It teaches that the messenger bears responsibility for the integrity of the transmission and the lost opportunity for the hearers.