Jer 36:4-14 | JFB | STEP | 4. all ... words of ... Lord-- God specially suggesting what might otherwise have escaped his memory, and directing the choice of words, as well as the substance ( ; ).

‏ Jeremiah 36:4-14

4. all ... words of ... Lord--God specially suggesting what might otherwise have escaped his memory, and directing the choice of words, as well as the substance (Joh 14:26; 16:13).

5. I am shut up--not in prison, for there is no account of his imprisonment under Jehoiakim, and Jr 36:19, 26 are inconsistent with it: but, "I am prevented," namely, by some hindrance; or, through fear of the king, to whose anger Baruch was less exposed, as not being the author of the prophecy.

6. go--on the following year (Jr 36:9).

fasting day--(See Jr 36:9). An extraordinary fast, in the ninth month (whereas the fast on the great day of atonement was on the tenth day of the seventh month, Le 16:29; 23:27-32), appointed to avert the impending calamity, when it was feared Nebuchadnezzar, having in the year before (that is, the fourth of Jehoiakim), smitten Pharaoh-necho at Carchemish, would attack Judea, as the ally of Egypt (2Ki 23:34, 35). The fast was likely to be an occasion on which Jeremiah would find the Jews more softened, as well as a larger number of them met together.

7. present ... supplication--literally, "supplication shall fall"; alluding to the prostrate attitude of the supplicants (De 9:25; Mt 26:39), as petitioners fall at the feet of a king in the East. So Hebrew, Jr 38:26; Da 9:18, Margin.

9. they proclaimed ... to all the people ... to all, &c.--rather, "all the people ... all the people proclaimed a fast" [Michaelis]. The chiefs appointed the fast by the wish of the people. In either version the ungodly king had no share in appointing the fast.

10. chamber--Baruch read from the window or balcony of the chamber looking into the court where the people were assembled. However, some of the chambers were large enough to contain a considerable number (Ne 13:5).

Gemariah--distinct from the Gemariah, son of Hilkiah, in Jr 29:3.

Shaphan--the same person as in 2Ki 22:3.

scribe--secretary of state, or he who presided over the public records.

higher court--that of the priests, the court of the people being lower (2Ch 4:9).

new gate--(Jr 26:10). The east gate.

12. scribe's chamber--an apartment in the palace occupied by the secretary of state.

princes--holding a counsel of state at the time.

Elnathan--who had already been an instrument of evil in Jehoiakim's hand (Jr 26:22, 23).

Hananiah--the false prophet (Jr 28:10-17).

14. Jehudi--of a good family, as appears from his pedigree being given so fully, but in a subordinate position.

come--Instead of requiring Baruch to come to them, they ought to have gone to the temple, and there professed their penitence. But pride forbade it [Calvin].