Jeremiah 36:4

Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah.—See Note on Jeremiah 32:12. The prophet was, as the next verse shows, in some way hindered, though apparently not by imprisonment, as he and Baruch could hide themselves (Jeremiah 36:19): Baruch therefore had to act not only as the prophet’s amanuensis, but as the preacher of his sermon. It will be noted that an interval of some months elapsed between the dictation and the public utterance.

Benson Commentary

Jeremiah 36:4. Then Jeremiah called Baruch — Baruch was the most faithful disciple of this prophet: he served him as long as he lived in the capacity of his secretary, and never left him till his death. And Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words, &c. — We need not ask how Jeremiah could remember all the prophecies that he had prophesied, for twenty-two years before, considering who it was that commanded him to put them in writing. God undoubtedly brought them to his remembrance, otherwise it would have been impossible for him to have recollected them all. The Spirit of God dictated to Jeremiah, and he to Baruch.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

36:1-8 The writing of the Scriptures was by Divine appointment. The Divine wisdom directed to this as a proper means; if it failed, the house of Judah would be the more without excuse. The Lord declares to sinners the evil he purposes to do against them, that they may hear, and fear, and return from their evil ways; and whenever any one makes this use of God's warnings, in dependence on his promised mercy, he will find the Lord ready to forgive his sins. All others will be left without excuse; and the consideration that great is the anger God has pronounced against us for sin, should quicken both our prayers and our endeavours.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Jeremiah 26:3. In point of date Jeremiah 26:is immediately prior to the present.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

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).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

We shall find this Baruch, being one of Jeremiah’s disciples, more than once thus employed as Jeremiah’s secretary or amanuensis. None shall need ask how Jeremiah could remember all the prophecies he had prophesied for twenty-two years before past, that considereth who it was that commanded him to do this. God undoubtedly revived the prophet’s memory, or he could not have called all to mind.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah,.... One of his disciples, and whom he had before made use of in the purchase of a field of his uncle's son, and to whom he gave the evidence of the purchase, Jeremiah 32:12; he was probably a better penman than the prophet, or a quicker writer; however, he thought proper, for quicker dispatch, to make use of him as his amanuensis:

and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord,

which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book; it seems that Jeremiah had not committed any of his prophecies to writing; and yet it cannot be thought that by the mere strength of memory he could repeat every discourse and prophecy he had delivered in the space of two and twenty years; wherefore it must be concluded, that that same Spirit, which first dictated the prophecies to him, brought them fresh to his memory; so that he could readily repeat them to Baruch, who took them down in writing on a roll of parchment.

Geneva Study Bible

Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote {c} from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken to him, upon a roll of a book.

(c) As he indicted.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. Then Jeremiah called Baruch] mentioned already (Jeremiah 32:12 f.) as the prophet’s attendant. He was grandson of Maaseiah, “governor of the city” (2 Chronicles 34:8) and brother of Seraiah (Jeremiah 51:59).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Baruch. Already mentioned as Jeremiah's attendant, in Jeremiah 32:12. He appears to have been of high rank (see on ver. 15), as Josephus, indeed, expressly states ('Ant.,' 10:09, 1). Maaseiah, his grandfather, was governor of the city (2 Chronicles 34:8), and Seraiah his brother (Jeremiah 51:59) held some equally honourable, though not so easily definable, position in the court. Jeremiah 36:4

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Jeremiah carries out the divine command by making Baruch write down on a book-roll all the words of the Lord, out of his mouth ('מפּי , i.e., at the dictation of Jeremiah); and since he himself is prevented from getting to the house of the Lord, he bids him read the words he had written down in the ears of the people in the temple on the fast-day, at the same time expressing the hope, Jeremiah 36:7 : "Perhaps their supplication will fall down before the Lord, and they will return each one from his wicked way; for great is the wrath and the anger which the Lord hath expressed concerning this people." Baruch, who is mentioned so early as Jeremiah 32:12. as the attendant of the prophet, was, according to the passage now before us, his amanuensis, and executed his commissions. אני עצוּר, according to Jeremiah 33:1 and Jeremiah 39:15, might mean, "I am in prison;" but this does not accord with the request of the princes, Jeremiah 36:19, that Jeremiah should hide himself. Moreover, עצוּר does not mean "seized, captus," but "stopped, restrained, hindered;" see on Nehemiah 6:10. The cause of hindrance is not mentioned, as being away from the purpose of the narrative. "To read in the roll in the ears of the people," i.e., to read to the people out of the book. בּיום צום does not mean "on any fast-day whatever," but, "on the fast-day." The article is omitted because there was no need for defining the fast-day more exactly. The special fast-day mentioned in Jeremiah 36:9 is intended. 'תּפּל תּחנּתם וגו, "their supplication will fall down before the Lord," i.e., reach unto God, as if it were laid before His feet. נפל is transferred from the posture of the suppliant - his falling down before God - to his supplication. Hence, in Hiphil, to make the supplication fall down before the Lord is equivalent to laying the request at His feet; Jeremiah 38:26; Jeremiah 42:9; Daniel 9:18, Daniel 9:20. If the supplication actually comes before God, it is also heard and finds success. This success is pointed out in 'וישׁבוּ וגו, "that they may repent." If man, in a repentant spirit, supplicates God for grace, God grants him power for conversion. But the return of the people from their wicked way is indispensable, because the wrath which God has expressed concerning it is great, i.e., because God has threatened a heavy judgment of wrath.