Jeremiah, 36

1. This word from Yahweh came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah.

2. "Get a scroll and write on it all that I have spoken to you concerning Jerusalem, Judah and all the nations, from the first day I spoke to you in the time of Josiah until this day.

3. Perhaps when the people of Judah hear of all the afflictions I intend to send them, to make each of them turn away they would decide to turn from their wicked ways. Hence I may forgive their wickedness and sin."

4. Jeremiah then called Baruch son of Neriah and while Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on the scroll all that Yahweh had said.

5. Then Jeremiah commanded Baruch, "I am in jail and cannot go to Yahweh's House.

6. So you go to Yahweh's House on a day of fasting and read publicly all that you wrote as I dictated. Read it to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns.

7. Perhaps they will entreat Yahweh and each one will turn from his wickedness, for great is the wrath of Yahweh and the punishment with which he has threatened this people."

8. So Baruch Neriah's son did all that the prophet Jeremiah had commanded about this reading in the House of Yahweh.

9. In the ninth month of the fifth year of Josiah's son Jehoiakim, king of Judah, a fast before Yahweh was proclaimed to all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the towns of Judah. Then in the House of Yahweh Baruch read publicly the words of Jeremiah written in the scroll.

10. This he did in the room of the secretary Gemariah Shapan's son, in the upper court at the entry of the New Gate of the House of Yahweh.

11. When Micaiah son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan heard all of Yahweh's words written on the scroll

12. he went to the secretary's room in the king's house where all the officials were sitting - Elishama, the secretary, Delaiah, son of Shemaiah; Elnathan, son of Acbor; Gemariah, son of Shaphan; Zedekiah, son of Hananiah, and the rest of the officials.

13. Micaiah told them all that he had heard when Baruch read the the content of the scroll to the people.

14. Then all the officials sent Jehudi, son of Netaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, "Bring the scroll from which you read to all the people and come!" So Baruch went with the scroll in his hand.

15. They told him to sit down and read it to them, and Baruch read it to them.

16. When they heard all that, they gazed at one another in fear and said, "We ought to tell this to the king."

17. They then asked Baruch, "May we know how you wrote that." He said,

18. "As he dictated these words, I wrote them in ink on the scroll."

19. Then the officials instructed Baruch, "Jeremiah and you have to hide and let no one know where you are."

20. They kept the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary and went to the king in the courtyard and reported all to him.

21. The king then sent Jehudi to bring him the scroll. Jehudi brought it from Elishamah's room and read it to the king and to all the officials standing around him.

22. Now it was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter palace while a fire was burning in the fire pot in front of him.

23. Whenever Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king would cut them off into pieces with the secretary's knife and cast them in the fire until the whole scroll was burned.

24. Neither the king nor his officials were afraid when they heard all these words and they did not tear their garments.

25. And yet Elnathan, Deliah and Gemariah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, but he did not listen.

26. Instead the king ordered Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet; but Yahweh concealed them.

27. A word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah after the king burned the scroll with the words Baruch had written as Jeremiah dictated,

28. "Take another scroll and write on it all the words that were on the first one which Jehoiakim burned.

29. And tell Jehoiakim this message of Yahweh: You have burned the scroll and you said: This man dared to write that the king of Babylon will certainly destroy this land and wipe away from it men and animals!

30. That is why Yahweh has spoken against Jehoiakim, king of Judah: Not one of his descendants will sit on the throne of David. His dead body will be exposed to the heat of day and the chill of night.

31. I will ask him to account as well as his children and his attendants for their wickedness. I will pour out on them all the disasters and it will be the same for the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem I have foretold against them, because they have paid no attention."

32. Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch son of Neriah, the secretary. He wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah burned in the fire, and he added many more similar words.