Bible Strands
Jeremiah 36:23
And as soon as Jehudi had read three or four columns, Jehoiakim would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll had been consumed by the fire.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — King Jehoiakim sits in his winter quarters during the ninth month while Jehudi reads from Jeremiah’s scroll. As Jehudi reads three or four columns, Jehoiakim cuts the text out with a scribe’s knife and throws it into a firepot until the scroll is consumed.
The words — דְּלָתוֹת (de.la.tOt) literally means “doors,” but in this context it refers to the wooden handles or rolls of the scroll. יִֽקְרָעֶ֙/הָ֙ (yik.ra.'E./ha) means “he tore it,” describing the physical destruction of the written text.
The thread — The deliberate rejection of prophetic warning parallels the refusal to heed counsel in Proverbs 1:30. Kings who isolate prophets or suppress divine messages appear in 1 Kings 22:8 and 1 Kings 22:27.
Why it lands — The text demands a clear-eyed assessment of how authority responds to inconvenient truth. It requires the reader to recognize that destroying a message does not neutralize its claim.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 22:8 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
- 1 Kings 22:27 and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
- Proverbs 1:30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
- Proverbs 13:13 He who despises instruction will pay the penalty, but the one who respects a command will be rewarded.
- Proverbs 19:21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
- Isaiah 5:18 Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of deceit and pull sin along with cart ropes,
- Isaiah 28:14 Therefore hear the word of the LORD, O scoffers who rule this people in Jerusalem.
- Deuteronomy 29:19 because when such a person hears the words of this oath, he invokes a blessing on himself, saying, ‘I will have peace, even though I walk in the stubbornness of my own heart.’ This will bring disaster on the watered land as well as the dry.
- Psalms 50:17 For you hate My instruction and cast My words behind you.