Jeremiah 36:15

Translation
King James Version
And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And they said H559 unto him, Sit down H3427 now, and read H7121 it in our ears H241. So Baruch H1263 read H7121 it in their ears H241.
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Complete Jewish Bible
They said to him, "Sit down, please, and read it to us." Barukh read it to them.
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Berean Standard Bible
“Please sit down,” they said, “and read it in our hearing.” So Baruch read it in their hearing.
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American Standard Version
And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
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World English Bible Messianic
They said to him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And they saide vnto him, Sit downe now, and reade it, that we may heare. So Baruch read it in their audience.
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Young's Literal Translation
and they say unto him, `Sit down, we pray thee, and read it in our ears,' and Baruch readeth in their ears,
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In the KJVVerse 19,858 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Jeremiah 36:15 captures a pivotal moment in the transmission of God's prophetic word: the Judean princes, having received a report of Baruch reading Jeremiah's scroll in the temple, summon Baruch to their chamber. Their directive, "Sit down now, and read it in our ears," powerfully conveys their urgent desire for a direct, authoritative hearing of the divine message. Baruch's immediate and faithful obedience, "So Baruch read [it] in their ears," underscores his crucial role as Jeremiah's loyal scribe and messenger, ensuring the word of the Lord reached those in power, even though it would ultimately face rejection.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is situated within the dramatic and highly significant narrative of Jeremiah 36, which meticulously details the writing, public reading, and eventual destruction of Jeremiah's prophetic scroll. God had explicitly commanded Jeremiah to write down all the words He had spoken against Judah, Jerusalem, and other nations, with the specific hope that the people might repent and turn from their evil ways. Due to Jeremiah's restricted access to the temple, he dictated these prophecies to his faithful scribe, Baruch. Baruch then courageously read the scroll publicly in the Temple on a fast day, a time when many people would be gathered. Micaiah, the son of Gemariah, overheard Baruch and promptly reported the extraordinary event and its dire contents to the royal officials, or "princes," who were gathered in the scribe's chamber. Their request for Baruch to read the scroll again in their presence, as recorded in this verse, demonstrates a mixture of curiosity, genuine concern, and perhaps a desire to verify the message directly before presenting it to King Jehoiakim. This scene serves as a crucial prelude to the dramatic confrontation with the king that follows, where the word of God is met with outright defiance and contempt.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The events of Jeremiah 36 unfold during the tumultuous reign of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BC), a period characterized by profound political instability and widespread spiritual apostasy in Judah. The nation found itself precariously positioned between the waning power of Egypt and the rapidly ascendant dominance of Babylon, with Jeremiah consistently prophesying Babylonian conquest as divine judgment for Judah's persistent unfaithfulness. The "scribe's chamber" (mentioned in Jeremiah 36:12) was likely a formal office or designated meeting place within the royal palace or perhaps the temple complex, where official state business and legal matters were regularly conducted. The act of public reading was a common, authoritative, and highly respected method of disseminating vital information, royal decrees, and sacred texts throughout ancient Near Eastern societies. The princes' specific request for Baruch to "sit down" before reading indicates a formal and solemn setting, acknowledging the gravity of the message and the necessity for respectful and attentive listening. The urgency with which they act reflects the tense political climate and the potentially devastating implications of such a dire prophetic message for the nation's immediate future.
  • Key Themes: Jeremiah 36:15 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. Foremost is the Authority and Inescapability of God's Word. Despite the princes' varied responses later, their initial insistence on hearing the scroll directly signifies their recognition of its profound importance and potential divine origin. They treat the word as something weighty, demanding direct attention, even if King Jehoiakim would later contemptuously cut and burn the scroll, demonstrating the futility of human attempts to silence divine truth. Another crucial theme is the Indispensable Role of the Scribe and Messenger. Baruch's function as Jeremiah's faithful scribe is central; he is not merely a copyist but an active, courageous participant in the delivery of God's message, serving as Jeremiah's voice when the prophet himself was restricted. His obedience to both Jeremiah and the princes' request ensures the word is heard, even in potentially hostile environments. Finally, the verse highlights the Significance of Active Hearing and Reception. The repeated phrase "read it in our ears" emphasizes the direct, personal, and audible reception of the prophetic message. It was not enough to hear a report; they desired to hear the very words themselves, creating an intimate encounter with the divine message that would evoke strong reactions, as seen in the princes' immediate fear and counsel in Jeremiah 36:16.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Sit down (Hebrew, yâshab', H3427): This root primarily means "to sit down," but also extends to dwelling, remaining, or settling. The command "Sit down now" indicates a formal invitation or directive for Baruch to take a seated position, signifying the establishment of a formal setting for the reading, conducive to attentive listening and respectful reception of the message. It implies a deliberate pause and posture of readiness.
  • read (Hebrew, qârâʼ', H7121): This root means "to call out to," "to proclaim," or "to read aloud." It implies an audible, public declaration rather than a silent perusal. The princes' instruction to "read it in our ears" emphasizes the oral nature of the message's transmission and their desire for direct, unmediated hearing. Baruch's subsequent action uses the same verb, confirming his role as the vocal conduit of God's word.
  • ears (Hebrew, ʼôzen', H241): Referring to the physical organ of hearing. The repeated phrase "in our ears" and "in their ears" is a common Hebrew idiom emphasizing direct, audible, and personal reception. It signifies that the message was not merely spoken, but intended to be fully absorbed and understood by the listeners, highlighting the importance of attentive, internalizing hearing.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And they said unto him,": This opening clause establishes the authority and initiative of the princes. Having heard Micaiah's report of the scroll's contents, they take immediate and decisive action, summoning Baruch to their presence. Their collective "they" signifies a unified decision by these influential royal officials, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
  • "Sit down now, and read it in our ears.": This is the direct command from the princes to Baruch. The imperative "Sit down now" creates a formal, settled atmosphere, indicating their intent to give full and undivided attention to the message. The crucial phrase "read it in our ears" is an idiom emphasizing the desire for a direct, audible, and personal encounter with the scroll's contents, rather than relying on a secondhand account. They want to hear the exact words as they were written and proclaimed by the prophet.
  • "So Baruch read [it] in their ears.": This concluding clause describes Baruch's immediate and faithful obedience to the princes' directive. It confirms his vital role as the obedient messenger and scribe, ensuring that the divine word, as dictated by Jeremiah, was indeed delivered directly to the ears of these influential officials. The repetition of "in their ears" powerfully reinforces the direct, audible transmission of the message, highlighting its undeniable reception.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several significant literary devices that amplify its meaning and impact. The most prominent is Idiom, specifically the Hebrew phrase "read it in our ears" (or "in their ears"). This is not merely a literal description of the act of reading but an idiomatic expression emphasizing direct, audible, and personal communication, highlighting the desire for the message to be heard and absorbed with full attention and understanding. The powerful Repetition of this very idiom ("in our ears" / "in their ears") within such a short verse serves to underscore the central importance of the act of hearing the divine word. It draws the reader's attention to the sensory experience of receiving the prophecy and the deliberate nature of the princes' request and Baruch's action. Furthermore, there is an element of Dramatic Irony and Foreshadowing at play. The princes' initial attentiveness and solemn request for Baruch to read contrast sharply with the subsequent actions of King Jehoiakim, who contemptuously burns the scroll. This subtle irony highlights the varying reception of God's word and foreshadows the ultimate rejection of Jeremiah's message by the ruling elite, despite its clear and direct presentation.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Jeremiah 36:15 serves as a powerful illustration of the divine intention for God's word to be heard, understood, and responded to. It underscores the critical role of human intermediaries—prophets and scribes—in the transmission of revelation, ensuring that God's message is not merely conceived but also communicated effectively to His people. The princes' desire for a direct hearing reflects a universal human need to encounter truth firsthand, especially when it carries divine authority and significant consequences. This moment highlights the profound responsibility that comes with hearing God's word, whether it leads to repentance, fear, or, tragically, rejection. The act of hearing is portrayed not as a passive reception but as an active engagement that demands a response and carries eternal weight.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Jeremiah 36:15 offers a profound challenge to our contemporary engagement with God's word. In an age saturated with information, it is easy to passively consume or superficially skim sacred texts, treating them as mere historical documents or intellectual exercises. However, the princes' earnest request, "Sit down now, and read it in our ears," calls us to a deeper, more intentional posture of listening and reception. It reminds us that God's word is not merely information to be processed, but a living, active message intended to penetrate our hearts and minds, transforming our inner being. We are invited to cultivate an active, receptive stance, allowing the truths of Scripture to genuinely "land in our ears" and shape our understanding, convictions, and actions. Just as Baruch faithfully delivered the word without alteration, we are called to be diligent in receiving it, recognizing its divine origin and transformative power, even when its message is challenging, confronts our comfort zones, or demands uncomfortable change. The enduring nature of God's word, despite human attempts to suppress or ignore it, testifies to its timeless relevance and its ultimate triumph over all opposition.

Questions for Reflection

  • How often do I approach Scripture with the same earnest desire to "sit down and hear" as the Judean princes did, rather than as a quick read or a mere duty?
  • What are the "ears" of my heart, and how can I ensure they are truly open and receptive to God's voice through His written word, allowing it to penetrate deeply?
  • In what ways might I be tempted to dismiss, dilute, or even destroy God's message, similar to King Jehoiakim's later actions, when it challenges my preconceived notions, personal desires, or societal norms?

FAQ

Who was Baruch and what was his significance in the book of Jeremiah?

Answer: Baruch (H1263, Bârûwk, meaning "blessed") was Jeremiah's faithful scribe, personal assistant, and close companion. His significance is immense as he served as the primary instrument for preserving and transmitting Jeremiah's prophecies. In Jeremiah 36, he not only meticulously wrote down all the words God had spoken to Jeremiah but also bravely read them publicly in the Temple and later to the princes. He was a trusted confidant who shared in Jeremiah's trials and faithfully executed the prophet's instructions, ensuring that God's word reached its intended audience, even when Jeremiah himself was restricted. His steadfastness in the face of danger and his unwavering loyalty to both the prophet and the divine message are a testament to his profound conviction in the divine origin of the message he helped to convey.

Why did the princes want Baruch to read the scroll again, directly to them?

Answer: The princes' request for Baruch to read the scroll directly to them, as seen in Jeremiah 36:15, stemmed from a mix of factors. They had heard Micaiah's report (as detailed in Jeremiah 36:11-13), which likely conveyed the severity and urgency of Jeremiah's prophecies. Their desire for a direct hearing was a way to verify the message's authenticity, to fully grasp its implications, and to assess its potential impact on the nation and the king. In ancient cultures, hearing a text read aloud was the primary mode of receiving important information, and hearing it directly from the source (Baruch, as Jeremiah's voice) carried more weight and authority than a secondhand account. Their solemn request to "sit down" before the reading indicates their recognition of the message's gravity and their intent to give it their full, undivided attention, before deciding how to present it to King Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 36:16-19).

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Jeremiah 36:15, with its profound focus on the faithful transmission and reception of God's written word through a human intermediary, beautifully foreshadows the ultimate and perfect revelation of God in Jesus Christ. While Baruch read a scroll containing God's spoken words, Jesus is the living Word made flesh, the full and final embodiment of divine revelation. The Judean princes desired to hear God's word directly "in their ears" from Baruch; similarly, humanity's deepest need was for a direct, personal encounter with God, which found its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. As John 1:1 declares, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God," and John 1:14 further reveals, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory." God, who "at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:1-2). The Old Testament scriptures, like the scroll Baruch read, consistently point to Christ, as Jesus Himself affirmed, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me" (John 5:39). Indeed, after His resurrection, Jesus "interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). Thus, the earnest desire to hear God's word, exemplified by the princes, finds its ultimate satisfaction in encountering Jesus, who is the very voice and presence of God, speaking directly to the "ears" of our hearts, not merely through a scroll, but through His life, death, and resurrection, bringing the complete and saving message of God.

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Commentary on Jeremiah 36 verses 9–19

It should seem that Baruch had been frequently reading out of the book, to all companies that would give him the hearing, before the most solemn reading of it altogether which is here spoken of; for the directions were given about it in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, whereas this was done in the fifth year, Jer 36:9. But some think that the writing of the book fairly over took up so much time that it was another year ere it was perfected; and yet perhaps it might not be past a month or two; he might begin in the latter end of the fourth year and finish it in the beginning of the fifth, for thee ninth month refers to the computation of the year in general, not to the year of that reign. Now observe here, 1. The government appointed a public fast to be religiously observed (Jer 36:9), on account either of the distress they were brought into by the army of the Chaldeans or of the want of rain (Jer 14:1): They proclaimed a fast to the people; whether the king and princes or the priests, ordered this fast, is not certain; but it was plain that God by his providence called them aloud to it. Note, Great shows of piety and devotion may be found even among those who, though they keep up these forms of godliness, are strangers and enemies to the power of it. But what will such hypocritical services avail? Fasting, without reforming and turning away from sin, will never turn away the judgments of God, Jon 3:10. Notwithstanding this fast, God proceeded in his controversy with this people. 2. Baruch repeated Jeremiah's sermons publicly in the house of the Lord, on the fast-day. He stood in a chamber that belonged to Gemariah, and out of a window, or balcony, read to the people that were in the court, Jer 36:10. Note, When we are speaking to God we must be willing to hear from him; and therefore, on days of fasting and prayer, it is requisite that the word be read and preached. Hearken unto me, that God may hearken unto you. Jdg 9:7. For our help in suing out mercy and grace, it is proper that we should be told of sin and duty. 3. An account was brought of this to the princes that attended the court and were now together in the secretary's office, here called the scribe's chamber, Jer 36:12. It should seem, though the princes had called the people to meet in the house of God, to fact, and pray, and hear the word, they did not think fit to attend there themselves, which was a sign that it was not from a principle of true devotion, but merely for fashion sake, that they proclaimed this fast. We are willing to hope that it was not with a bad design, to bring Jeremiah into trouble for his preaching, but with a good design, to bring the princes into trouble for their sins, that Michaiah informed the princes of what Baruch had read; for his father Gemariah so far countenanced Baruch as to lend him his chamber to read out of. Michaiah finds the princes sitting in the scribe's chamber, and tells them they had better have been where he had been, hearing a good sermon in the temple, which he gives them the heads of. Note, When we have heard some good word that has affected and edified us we should be ready to communicate it to others that did not hear it, for their edification. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 4. Baruch is sent for, and is ordered to sit down among them and read it all over again to them (Jer 36:14, Jer 36:15), which he readily did, not complaining that he was weary with his public work and therefore desiring to be excused, nor upbraiding the princes with their being absent from the temple, where they might have heard it when he read it there. Note, God's ministers must become all things to all men, if by any means they may gain some, must comply with them in circumstances, that they may secure the substance. St. Paul preached privately to those of reputation, Gal 2:2. 5. The princes were for the present much affected with the word that was read to them, Jer 36:16. Observe, They heard all the words they did not interrupt him, but very patiently attended to the reading of the whole book; for otherwise how could they form a competent judgment of it? And, when they had heard all, they were afraid, were all afraid, one as well as another; like Felix, who trembled at Paul's reasonings. The reproofs were just, the threatenings terrible, and the predictions now in a fair way to be fulfilled; so that, laying all together, they were in a great consternation. We are not told what impressions this reading of the roll made upon the people (Jer 36:10), but the princes were put into a fright by it, and (as some read it) looked one upon another, not knowing what to say. They were all convinced that it was worthy to be regarded, but none of them had courage to second it, only they agreed to tell the king of all these words; and, if he think fit to give credit to them, they will, otherwise not, no, though it were to prevent the ruin of the nation. And yet at the same time they knew the king's mind so far that they advised Baruch and Jeremiah to hide themselves (Jer 36:19) and to shift as they could for their own safety, expecting no other than that the king, instead of being convinced, would be exasperated. Note, It is common for sinners, under convictions, to endeavour to shake them off, by shifting off the prosecution of them to other persons, as these princes here, or to another more convenient season, as Felix. 6. They asked Baruch a trifling question, How he wrote all these words (v. 17), as if they suspected there was something extraordinary in it; but Baruch gives them a plain answer, that there was nothing but what was common in the manner of the writing - Jeremiah dictated and he wrote, Jer 36:18. But thus it is common for those who would avoid the convictions of the word of God to start needless questions about the way and manner of the inspiration of it.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 9–19. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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