The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Jeremiah 36

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Nevi'im — the Prophets

Jeremiah chapter 36 — part of the Nevi'im — the Prophets in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from HaShem,…” — the complete text of all 32 verses is below, free to read online.

1And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from HaShem, saying:

2'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 spoke unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.

3It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way, and I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.'

4Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah; and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of HaShem, which He had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

5And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying: 'I am detained, I cannot go into the house of HaShem;

6therefore go thou, and read in the roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of HaShem in the ears of the people in HaShem'S house upon a fast-day; and also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

7It may be they will present their supplication before HaShem, and will return every one from his evil way; for great is the anger and the fury that HaShem hath pronounced against this people.'

8And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of HaShem in HaShem'S house.

9Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before HaShem, all the people in Jerusalem, and all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

10Then did Baruch read in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of HaShem, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of HaShem'S house, in the ears of all the people.

11And when Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of the book all the words of HaShem,

12he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber; and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

13Then Micaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

14Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying: 'Take in thy hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come.' So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.

15And they said unto him: 'Sit down now, and read it in our ears.' So Baruch read it in their ears.

16Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said unto Baruch: 'We will surely tell the king of all these words.'

17And they asked Baruch, saying: 'Tell us now: How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?'

18Then Baruch answered them: 'He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.'

19Then said the princes unto Baruch: 'Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah, and let no man know where ye are.'

20And they went in to the king into the court; but they had deposited the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe; and they told all the words in the ears of the king.

21So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes that stood beside the king.

22Now the king was sitting in the winter-house in the ninth month; and the brazier was burning before him.

23And it came to pass, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.

24Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

25Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had entreated the king not to burn the roll; but he would not hear them.

26And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet; but HaShem hid them.

27Then the word of HaShem came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying:

28'Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

29And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah thou shalt say: Thus saith HaShem: Thou hast burned this roll, saying: Why hast thou written therein, saying: The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?

30Therefore thus saith HaShem concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David; and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

31And I will visit upon him and his seed and his servants their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, but they hearkened not.'

32Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and there were added besides unto them many like words.

32 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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