Jer 43
1
IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF JOAKIM son of Josias king of Juda, the word of the Lord came
to me, saying,
2
Take you a Or, paper, or, parchment roll of a book, and write upon it all the words which I spoke to you against Jerusalem,
and against Juda, and against all the nations, from the day when I spoke to you, from
the days of Josias king of Juda, even to this day.
3
Perhaps the house of Juda will hear all the evils which I purpose to do to them; that
they may turn from their evil way; and so I will be merciful to their iniquities and
their sins.
4
So Jeremias called Baruch the son of Nerias: and he wrote from the mouth of Jeremias
all the words of the Lord, which he had spoken to him, on a roll of a book.
5
And Jeremias commanded Baruch, saying, I am in prison; I cannot enter into the house
of the Lord:
6
so you shall read in this roll in the ears of the people in the house of the Lord,
on the fast day; and in the ears of all Juda that come out of their cities, you shall
read to them.
7
Peradventure their supplication will come before the Lord, and they will turn from
their evil way: for great is the anger and the anger of the Lord, which he has pronounced
against this people.
8
And Baruch did according to all that Jeremias commanded him—reading in the book the
words of the Lord in the Lord’s house.
9
And it came to pass in the Alex. fifth eighth year of king Joakim, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem, and
the house of Juda, proclaimed a fast before the Lord.
10
And Baruch read in the book the words of Jeremias in the house of the Lord, in the
house of Gamarias son of Saphan the scribe, in the upper court, in the entrance of
the new gate of the house of the Lord, and in the ears of all the people.
11
And Michaeas the son of Gamarias the son of Saphan heard all the words of the Lord,
out of the book.
12
And he went down to the king’s house, into the house of the scribe: and, behold, there
were sitting there all the princes, Elisama the scribe, and Dalaeas the son of Selemias,
and Jonathan the son of Acchobor, and Gamarias the son of Saphan, and Sedekias the
son of Ananias, and all the princes.
13
And Michaeas reported to them all the words which he had heard Baruch reading in the
ears of the people.
14
And all the princes sent to Baruch son of Nerias Judin the son of Nathanias, the son
of Selemias, the son of Chusi, saying, Take in your hand the roll in which you read
in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch took the roll, and went down to them.
15
And they said to him, Read it again in our ears. And Baruch read it.
16
And it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, that they took counsel each
with his neighbour, and said, Let us by all means tell the king all these words.
17
And they asked Baruch, saying, Where did you write all these words?
18
And Baruch said, Jeremias told me from his own mouth all these words, and I wrote
them in a book.
19
And they said to Baruch, Go, and hide, you and Jeremias; let no man know where you
are.
20
And they went in to the king into the court, and gave the roll to one to keep in the
house of Elisama; and they told the king all these words.
21
And the king sent Judin to fetch the roll: and he took it out of the house of Elisama:
and Judin read in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes who stood
round the king.
22
Now the king was sitting in the winter house: and there was a fire on the hearth before
him.
23
And it came to pass when Judin Gr. was reading had read three or four leaves, he cut them off with Gr. a scribe’s razor, or,
scraper a penknife, and cast them into the fire that was on the hearth, until the whole roll
was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
24
And the king and his servants that heard all these words sought not the Lord, and
rent not their garments.
25
But Elnathan and Godolias Alex. +and Gamarias suggested to the king that Alex. that he should not burn the roll he should
burn the roll.
26
And the king commanded Jeremeel the king’s son, and Saraeas the son of Esriel, to
take Baruch and Jeremias: but they were hidden.
27
Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremias, after the king had burnt the roll, even
all the words which Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremias, saying,
28
Again take you another roll, and write all the words that were on the roll, sc. which words which king Joakim has burnt.
29
And you shall say, Thus says the Lord; You have burnt this roll, saying, Why have
you written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come in, and destroy
this land, Alex. +and shall destroy man, etc. and man and cattle shall fail from off it?
30
Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Joakim king of Juda; He shall not have a man
to sit on the throne of David: and his carcass shall be cast forth in the heat by
day, and in the frost by night.
31
And I will visit him, and his family, and his servants: and I will bring upon him,
and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the land of Juda, all the evils which
I spoke of to them; and they hearkened not.
32
And Baruch took another roll, and wrote upon it from the mouth of Jeremias all the
words of the book Gr. which words which Joakim had burnt: and there were yet more words added to it like the former.