Jeremiah 34:1—36:32
In this section is found a group of incidents from the life of Jeremiah, and sayings of his, that relate for the most part to kings of Judah, and secondarily to the people. In an instance or two the people are addressed, but even here it is hoped that the ear of the king will be reached. The material comes from different periods in the life of the prophet and is not arranged in chronological order.
A. COUNSEL CONCERNING BABYLON, 34:1-7
The date of this passage can be ascertained from 7. Lachish and Azekah1 were still holding out against the armies of the Babylonians. This would suggest that the siege of Jerusalem was only in its early stages, and as yet things were not critical. The rest of the chapter would indicate that Zedekiah and his princes were hoping for help from the Egyptians. It may be that it was his conniving with the Egyptians that prompted Jeremiah to give serious counsel to Zedekiah.
Ever since the fourth year of Jehoiakim (c. 25) Jeremiah had not wavered in his position concerning the future of the Near East. He had been consistent in his advice to Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and now Zedekiah, in that Nebuchadnezzar had been decreed by God to be the overlord of the area for many years to come. Jeremiah insisted that any attempts at rebellion against the king of Babylon would be futile; therefore, why not “serve him … and live” (27:12) ? In counseling obedience to the king of Babylon, Jeremiah did not consider himself disloyal to his nation or his king. He was convinced that, since God had decided the matter, Judah's best interests lay within His decree.
Jeremiah's warning to Zedekiah here is similar to warnings given by him in 21:1-10; 32:3-5; 37:8-10, 17; 38:17-23. All the kingdoms of the earth (1) would be the countries subject to Babylon. The cities thereof would be the cities of Judah. In this passage Jeremiah goes into detail concerning Zedekiah's fate—he shall not die by the sword (4), but in peace (5). Jeremiah adds that they shall burn odours for thee … with the burnings of thy fathers they shall lament (6). Hebrews did not cremate their dead, but they burned spices and hired professional mourners. According to 52:8-11, Zedekiah was carried to Babylon and died there as a royal prisoner (cf. 39:7; II Kings 25:5-6; Ezek. 12:13). If, at his death, the king of Babylon permitted Zedekiah to be buried in that land according to the customs of the Jews, with the burning of spices and lamentations, then the prophecy may be considered to have been fulfilled.2 But many scholars think the passage must be interpreted “as a conditional promise that was unfulfilled because the king did not follow its condition,”3 i.e., submit to the king of Babylon.
B. COUNSEL CONCERNING SLAVES, 34:8-22
At a very dark point during the siege of the city of Jerusalem, Zedekiah made a covenant with the people to let their Hebrew slaves go free. Apparently one reason was to gain the favor of God. To serve himself of them (9; cf. 10) was to enslave them. According to the law of Moses (Exod. 21:2; Deut. 15:2) a Hebrew slave was to go free at the beginning of the seventh year of service, but in Judah the matter apparently had not been given attention for many years.4 Verses 15 and 19 indicate that a solemn covenant had been made in the Temple between the people and their slaves. One can almost feel a wave of piety sweep over the city. All the people, including princes and priests … passed between the parts of the calf5 (10, 19), i.e., took the vow to let their slaves go free. This was an excellent step toward God, and Jeremiah heartily approved.
Shortly after this was done, the Babylonian armies suddenly lifted the siege against Jerusalem and went away. When 21-22 are read with 37:1-10 it is clear that an Egyptian army had appeared from the south. Nebuchadnezzar immediately shifted his troops to meet the newcomers. Jerusalem for the moment was relieved and there was great jubilation in the city. Since the fields outside the walls could be worked again, the leaders in Jerusalem quickly repudiated their vows. The freed slaves were re-enslaved and put to work.
In no uncertain terms, Jeremiah denounced both king and people. He said, “You recently repented … but then you turned around and profaned my name” (15-16, RSV). He quoted God as saying that, since they had not hearkened unto Him in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother … behold, I proclaim a liberty for you … to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine (17). Furthermore, God said, I will command … them (the Babylonians) to return to this city; and … fight … take … and burn it (22).
A study of the actions of Zedekiah and his people reveals the moral poverty of Judah in this sad hour. (1) The leaders of the nation had broken a covenant voluntarily made and duly ratified in God's house. (2) They had thus profaned the character of God, in whose name the vows had been taken. (3) They were irresolute and double-minded in their devotion to God. (4) They quickly bowed to the law of expediency. (5) Their repentance was superficial,6 for (a) it was motivated only by a fear of consequences, (b) it was a change of conduct with no real change of heart, (c) its results were shallow and temporary.
C. THE EXAMPLE OF THE RECHABITES, 35:1-19
Jeremiah did not hesitate to use various methods to present God's truth to men. In this instance he used a whole tribe of people whose singular devotion to family ideals permitted him to drive home the truth to the people of Judah.
The incident is undated except that it occurred during the reign of Jehoiakim (see Chart A). A date shortly after the battle of Carchemish would fit quite well, since Nebuchadnezzar was in the area at the time, and the Syrians (11) could easily have been active then. However, a date toward the end of Jehoiakim's reign (cir. 598 B.C.) should not be ruled out, for the king of Babylon captured the city of Jerusalem in 597 B.C.
The Rechabites were a nomadic family apparently of Kenite descent (I Chron. 2:55). As a desert tribe they worshiped the Lord, and threw in their lot with the Israelites during the Exodus (Judg. 1:16). Jonadab the son of Bechab (6) is thought of as the spiritual father of the tribe, since his ideas made them distinctive. It was he who welded them into a close-knit group of desert-dwellers who shunned the settled, agricultural life of Canaan. Jonadab is mentioned in II Kings 10:15-28 as a partisan of Jehu, the king of Israel.
1. Jeremiah Offers Wine to the Rechabites (35:1-5)
God instructed Jeremiah to go to the house (the camp) of the Rechabites … and bring them into the house of the Lord and offer them wine to drink (2). The prophet sought out the leader of the tribe and eventually persuaded the whole group to accompany him to the Temple. The men named in 3-4 are not mentioned elsewhere except Maasiah, identified as a priest in 29:25. Jeremiah describes the location of the chamber to which he brought them (4), so that the reader may know that the incident took place openly, before the officials of the Temple, and before the eyes of the people of Jerusalem. These chambers were “arranged around the courts of the temple, serving partly as storehouses and partly as residences for priests” (Berk., fn.). Cf. I Chron. 9:27; Ezek. 40:17; Neh. 10:37-39. Inside the room Jeremiah set pitchers full of wine, with cups, before the Rechabites, and bid them, Drink ye wine (5).
2. The Rechabites Refuse to Drink (35:6-11)
The Rechabites not only refused to drink, but unhesitatingly presented their reasons for total abstinence. They reminded Jeremiah that Jonadab, two centuries before, had commanded them that they should not drink … wine (6), build houses (9), sow seed (7), or plant vineyards, but instead should dwell in tents and live the life of nomads all their days. They completed their answer by saying, We have … done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us (10). They told Jeremiah that they were in Jerusalem only temporarily for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and … the Syrians (11). When the emergency was past they would be away to the desert again.
3. An Object Lesson for Judah (35:12-17)
The presence of a group like this in the Temple area could not help but create a sensation in Jerusalem, and Jeremiah seized the opportunity to deliver God's message to the people. In telling fashion he focused attention on the faithfulness of this family to the command of a dead ancestor. In contrast, Jeremiah sought to arouse the conscience of Judah to her pathetic spiritual condition, pointing out her unfaithfulness to the requirements of God. The Rechabites had remembered to keep their father's command although he had been dead for two centuries, but despite the fact that God had constantly sent prophets (15) to remind His people, Judah had forgotten Him. In clarion tones Jeremiah calls the people to repentance: Return ye (15). Rising early (14; cf. 15) is a figure of speech meaning earnestly or repeatedly.
God's message, however, seemed to fall on deaf ears: This people hath not hearkened unto me: therefore … I will bring upon Judah … all the evil that I have pronounced against them (16-17).
4. The Promise to the Rechabites (35:18-19)
The outlook for Judah was grim, but for the Rechabites the prospects were bright: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever (19). God promised to reward this desert tribe, not because of their peculiar ways or ascetic practices, but because their faithfulness to the precepts of their father is a rebuke to infidelity and double-dealing wherever it is found. Their faithfulness will stand in biblical literature forever as a living example of the utter devotion that God seeks from men. Even to this day among the Bedouin peoples of the Near East there are said to be tribes who live by the rules of Jonadab.7
D. COUNSEL PRESERVED IN A BOOK, 36:1-19
This is one of the most valuable sections of the Book of Jeremiah. (1) The passage throws light on the origin of the book. The process of writing and compiling his various prophecies began here. Eventually many different oracles, incidents from his life, and historical information were arranged to comprise the book as it stands today. (2) It provides important details concerning how one biblical book came to be written. Involved in the process were a roll book, pen, ink, the selection of a scribe, and the actual dictation. No other OT book gives us such detailed description of its production. (3) The events related here mark a turning point in the career of Jeremiah. Up to this time he was well-known only in one of the smallest countries of the Near East, but with the writing of his messages he was destined to influence the world. From this point on he belongs to the ages.
1. God's Words Written Down (36:1-8)
The incident occurred in the fourth year (1) of King Jehoiakim (605 B.C.). God instructed the prophet to write down in a book all the prophecies that He had given him from the days of Josiah (i.e., from the day he was called), even unto this day (2). God's purpose for doing this is found in 3. It may be … Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do and may return … that I may forgive their iniquity. It is amazing how many different methods God has used as recorded in the Book of Jeremiah to get His people to turn from their wickedness to serve Him. One has to say with Isaiah, “What could have been done more?” (Isa. 5:4) Only an eternal love could be so ingenious and so persistent.
Jeremiah complied with God's request by securing the services of Baruch the son of Neriah (4) to be his scribe. Baruch (appearing for the first time in 32:12) seems to have belonged to one of the noble families of Judah. His brother Seraiah was in the service of Zedekiah (51:59). Josephus tells us that Baruch “was exceptionally well instructed in his native tongue.”8 And Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord (4). The period of time used for dictating and writing must have been several days and even weeks. The roll of a book would be a scroll, rolled up for convenience in storing and reading.
There came a day when Jeremiah said to Baruch, I am shut up (detained); I cannot go into the house of the Lord (5): therefore go thou, and read (6). Just why Jeremiah could not go to the Temple is not told. Scholars have conjectured sickness, being ceremonially unclean at the moment, or forbidden by Temple authorities because of previous incidents such as the Temple Sermon. All agree that he was not in prison at this time. Baruch did as Jeremiah … commanded him (8).
2. Baruch Reads God's Word in the Temple (36:9-10) God's word through Jeremiah was written “in the fourth year of Jehoiakim” (1; 605 B.C.), but an appropriate time for reading it did not come for several months. Finally in the ninth month (our December) of Jehoiakim's fifth year … a fast was proclaimed (9) for the entire kingdom of Judah, perhaps in mourning for the attack on Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar the year before. People from all the cities of Judah were in Jerusalem for this solemn fast. Jeremiah apparently hoped that, by probing their consciences with a pungent message from God himself, this religious ceremony could be turned into a revival of genuine religion (7). Baruch read the message to the multitudes from a strategic place in the Temple area, the chamber of Gemariah … at the entry of the new gate (10). The reading brought an immediate reaction.
3. Baruch Reads to the Princes (36:11-19)
Michaiah the son of Gemariah (11) heard the reading in the Temple court. Deeply disturbed, he hastened to the scribe's chamber (12) of the king's palace to report what he had heard. His father and the other princes were there in session. Upon hearing Michaiah's report, the princes sent for Baruch (14) and the scroll, and requested that it be read to them. So Baruch read it in their ears (15). It was the princes' turn to be upset; “they turned one to another in fear” (16, ASV), and told Baruch that the matter would have to be reported to the king. To clarify the matter further, they questioned Baruch about his part in the affair (17). He replied, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book (18). Convinced that the matter required the king's attention, but fearful about what his reaction would be, the princes said to Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah (19).
E. THE BOOK DESTROYED, 36:20-26
Leaving the scroll in the room of Elishama the scribe (20), the princes went directly to the king. Jehoiakim was in his winterhouse (22), probably a part of the palace that caught the rays of the winter sun. It was the ninth month (our December), and a fire was burning in a brazier. Upon hearing the report of the princes, he demanded to see the scroll (21). It was brought and read to him with his officials standing beside him. Sullen anger gripped the king as he heard the counsel given to him in the scroll. As Jehudi (23) read three or four leaves (columns), Jehoiakim in bitter contempt cut them off with his penknife and threw them into the fire. He continued this until the entire roll was consumed.
The king did this despite the protestations of several of the princes (25). Arrogant and high-handed, Jehoiakim was completely unconcerned and unafraid at what he had done, and so were a number of his courtiers (24). His attitude and actions were a far cry from those of his father, Josiah, when he heard the book of the law read in a similar situation (II Kings 22:10-14). Disregarding the counsel of God and the princes, Jehoiakim immediately ordered Baruch and Jeremiah (26) to be arrested. But God was protecting His servants. The prophet and his scribe could not be found, for the Lord hid them (26). There is no doubt that Jehoiakim would have killed Jeremiah as he had done Urijah (26:20-24) had he been able to lay hands on him.
Scholars have long speculated on just what words the scroll contained. It could not have contained all of Jeremiah's words, since it was read three times in one day. It is quite certain that the scroll was made of papyrus, since “any writing material made of animal skins would have been difficult to cut with a penknife, and would have made an intolerable stench when burned.”9
F. THE BOOK REWRITTEN, 36: 27-32
Sometime later, in his place of hiding, Jeremiah was instructed by the Lord to prepare another scroll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first scroll (27-28). The prophet did as he was bidden and dictated again the words of the book which Jehoiakim … had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words (32). This second writing would contain material from approximately the first half of Jeremiah's ministry. Since there were still seventeen to twenty years of activity left to the prophet, much more material would he added to this.10
The rewritten scroll contained stern words for Jehoiakim (29). God took him to task for burning the first scroll, which had contained wise counsel for the king. Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein? (29) God then declared that Jehoiakim would never have a son to sit (30) on David's throne (Jehoiachin, his son, did reign for three months, but the Heb. term rendered sit implies some degree of permanance).11 Jeremiah predicted a violent and dishonorable death for the king (see comments on 22:18).