Jeremiah 36:22

Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and [there was a fire] on the hearth burning before him.

Now the king {H4428} sat {H3427} in the winterhouse {H1004}{H2779} in the ninth {H8671} month {H2320}: and there was a fire on the hearth {H254} burning {H1197} before {H6440} him.

The king was sitting in his winter house; and since it was the ninth month, he had a fire burning in the stove in front of him.

Since it was the ninth month, the king was sitting in his winter quarters with a fire burning before him.

Now the king was sitting in the winter-house in the ninth month: and there was a fire in the brazier burning before him.

Commentary

Jeremiah 36:22 sets the immediate scene for King Jehoiakim's infamous act of defiance against God's word. This verse provides crucial contextual details, painting a picture of comfort and warmth that starkly contrasts with the cold reception of divine prophecy.

Context

This verse is part of a pivotal narrative in the book of Jeremiah, detailing how the prophet Jeremiah dictated God's message of judgment to his scribe, Baruch, who then wrote it on a scroll. This scroll contained warnings of impending disaster for Judah due to its persistent sin and idolatry. The scene described here occurs after the scroll has been read to various officials and is finally brought before King Jehoiakim. The "ninth month" (Kislev, roughly November-December) indicates the winter season in Judah, necessitating a "winterhouse" (Hebrew: beth hachoreph) and a burning fire for warmth. This comfortable setting underscores the king's deliberate and defiant choice to reject God's uncomfortable truth.

Key Themes

  • Setting the Stage for Defiance: The cozy, warm setting of the king's winterhouse with a burning hearth ironically highlights the king's spiritual coldness and his impending act of rebellion. It emphasizes the deliberate nature of his rejection of God's warnings.
  • King Jehoiakim's Character: This verse subtly foreshadows Jehoiakim's deep-seated contempt for the Lord's commands. Unlike his father, King Josiah, who humbled himself before God's word, Jehoiakim consistently demonstrated an arrogant and rebellious spirit, ultimately leading to his downfall and the destruction of Jerusalem.
  • The Immutability of God's Word: Despite human attempts to destroy or ignore it, God's word endures. The king's act of burning the scroll (detailed in the next verse, Jeremiah 36:23) did not nullify its message, but rather confirmed the very judgment it foretold.

Linguistic Insights

The term "winterhouse" (Hebrew: beth hachoreph) literally means "house of the cold" and points to a dwelling designed for comfort during the colder months, a common architectural practice in ancient Near Eastern royalty. The "fire on the hearth" (Hebrew: esh al ha'ach) further emphasizes the warmth and domesticity of the scene, making the king's subsequent action of destroying the sacred text all the more shocking and sacrilegious within such a setting.

Reflection and Application

Jeremiah 36:22 serves as a powerful reminder that our physical comfort or circumstances do not excuse our spiritual responsibilities. King Jehoiakim, in his comfortable surroundings, chose to ignore and destroy a message that called for repentance and offered hope. This challenges us to consider our own response to God's word, especially when it confronts our complacency or demands change. Do we, like Jehoiakim, prefer to remain in our spiritual "winterhouse" of comfort, rejecting uncomfortable truths, or do we allow God's word to warm and transform our hearts, even when it calls us to difficult paths? The enduring power of God's message, even when rejected, highlights its eternal relevance and truth, urging us to listen and obey.

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Cross-References

  • Amos 3:15

    And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 22:14

    That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and [it is] cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.

  • Jeremiah 22:16

    He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then [it was] well [with him: was] not this to know me? saith the LORD.

  • Jeremiah 36:9

    ¶ And 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 the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

  • Jeremiah 3:20

    ¶ Surely [as] a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
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