The Scroll That Wouldn't Stay Burned.

וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הָרְבִיעִ֔ת לִיהוֹיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה הָיָ֞ה הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord :

קַח־לְךָ֮ מְגִלַּת־סֵפֶר֒ וְכָתַבְתָּ֣ אֵלֶ֗יהָ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי אֵלֶ֛יךָ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל וְעַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְעַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם מִיּ֞וֹם דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ מִימֵ֣י יֹאשִׁיָּ֔הוּ וְעַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

[2] “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today.

אוּלַ֤י יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י חֹשֵׁ֖ב לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָהֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן יָשׁ֗וּבוּ אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֔ה וְסָלַחְתִּ֥י לַעֲוֺנָ֖ם וּלְחַטָּאתָֽם׃ ס

[3] It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

וַיִּקְרָ֣א יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ אֶת־בָּר֖וּךְ בֶּן־נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב בָּר֜וּךְ מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ אֵ֣ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֧י יְהוָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלָ֖יו עַל־מְגִלַּת־סֵֽפֶר׃

[4] Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord that he had spoken to him.

וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ אֶת־בָּר֖וּךְ לֵאמֹ֑ר אֲנִ֣י עָצ֔וּר לֹ֣א אוּכַ֔ל לָב֖וֹא בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃

[5] And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, “I am banned from going to the house of the Lord ,

וּבָאתָ֣ אַתָּ֡ה וְקָרָ֣אתָ בַמְּגִלָּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־כָּתַֽבְתָּ־מִפִּי֩ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֨י יְהוָ֜ה בְּאָזְנֵ֥י הָעָ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה בְּי֣וֹם צ֑וֹם וְגַ֨ם בְּאָזְנֵ֧י כָל־יְהוּדָ֛ה הַבָּאִ֥ים מֵעָרֵיהֶ֖ם תִּקְרָאֵֽם׃

[6] so you are to go, and on a day of fasting in the hearing of all the people in the Lord 's house you shall read the words of the Lord from the scroll that you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the men of Judah who come out of their cities.

אוּלַ֞י תִּפֹּ֤ל תְּחִנָּתָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְיָשֻׁ֕בוּ אִ֖ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֑ה כִּֽי־גָד֤וֹל הָאַף֙ וְהַ֣חֵמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּֽה׃

[7] It may be that their plea for mercy will come before the Lord , and that every one will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.”

וַיַּ֗עַשׂ בָּרוּךְ֙ בֶּן־נֵ֣רִיָּ֔ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֑יא לִקְרֹ֥א בַסֵּ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֹֽה׃ ס

[8] And Baruch the son of Neriah did all that Jeremiah the prophet ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the Lord in the Lord 's house.

וַיְהִ֣י בַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַ֠חֲמִשִׁית לִיהוֹיָקִ֨ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַתְּשִׁעִ֔י קָרְא֨וּ צ֜וֹם לִפְנֵ֧י יְהוָ֛ה כָּל־הָעָ֖ם בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַבָּאִ֛ים מֵעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

[9] In the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord .

וַיִּקְרָ֨א בָר֥וּךְ בַּסֵּ֛פֶר אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בְּלִשְׁכַּ֡ת גְּמַרְיָהוּ֩ בֶן־שָׁפָ֨ן הַסֹּפֵ֜ר בֶּחָצֵ֣ר הָעֶלְי֗וֹן פֶּ֣תַח שַׁ֤עַר בֵּית־יְהוָה֙ הֶֽחָדָ֔שׁ בְּאָזְנֵ֖י כָּל־הָעָֽם׃

[10] Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the Lord , in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord 's house.

וַ֠יִּשְׁמַ֗ע מִכָ֨יְהוּ בֶן־גְּמַרְיָ֧הוּ בֶן־שָׁפָ֛ן אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה מֵעַ֥ל הַסֵּֽפֶר׃

[11] When Micaiah the son of Gemariah, son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll,

וַיֵּ֤רֶד בֵּית־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ עַל־לִשְׁכַּ֣ת הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְהִ֨נֵּה־שָׁ֔ם כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים יֽוֹשְׁבִ֑ים אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע הַסֹּפֵ֡ר וּדְלָיָ֣הוּ בֶן־שְׁ֠מַעְיָהוּ וְאֶלְנָתָ֨ן בֶּן־עַכְבּ֜וֹר וּגְמַרְיָ֧הוּ בֶן־שָׁפָ֛ן וְצִדְקִיָּ֥הוּ בֶן־חֲנַנְיָ֖הוּ וְכָל־הַשָּׂרִֽים׃

[12] he went down to the king's house, into the secretary's chamber, and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemariah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the officials.

וַיַּגֵּ֤ד לָהֶם֙ מִכָ֔יְהוּ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁמֵ֑עַ בִּקְרֹ֥א בָר֛וּךְ בַּסֵּ֖פֶר בְּאָזְנֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃

[13] And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people.

וַיִּשְׁלְח֨וּ כָל־הַשָּׂרִ֜ים אֶל־בָּר֗וּךְ אֶת־יְהוּדִ֡י בֶּן־נְ֠תַנְיָהוּ בֶּן־שֶׁלֶמְיָ֣הוּ בֶן־כּוּשִׁי֮ לֵאמֹר֒ הַמְּגִלָּ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר קָרָ֤אתָ בָּהּ֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֔ם קָחֶ֥נָּה בְיָדְךָ֖ וָלֵ֑ךְ וַ֠יִּקַּח בָּר֨וּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּ֤הוּ אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֖א אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

[14] Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, son of Shelemiah, son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Take in your hand the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them.

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֔יו שֵׁ֣ב נָ֔א וּקְרָאֶ֖נָּה בְּאָזְנֵ֑ינוּ וַיִּקְרָ֥א בָר֖וּךְ בְּאָזְנֵיהֶֽם׃

[15] And they said to him, “Sit down and read it.” So Baruch read it to them.

וַיְהִ֗י כְּשָׁמְעָם֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים פָּחֲד֖וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֑הוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אֶל־בָּר֔וּךְ הַגֵּ֤יד נַגִּיד֙ לַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

[16] When they heard all the words, they turned one to another in fear. And they said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.”

וְאֶ֨ת־בָּר֔וּךְ שָׁאֲל֖וּ לֵאמֹ֑ר הַגֶּד־נָ֣א לָ֔נוּ אֵ֗יךְ כָּתַ֛בְתָּ אֶת־כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה מִפִּֽיו׃

[17] Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?”

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהֶם֙ בָּר֔וּךְ מִפִּיו֙ יִקְרָ֣א אֵלַ֔י אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵ֑לֶּה וַאֲנִ֛י כֹּתֵ֥ב עַל־הַסֵּ֖פֶר בַּדְּיֽוֹ׃ פ

[18] Baruch answered them, “He dictated all these words to me, while I wrote them with ink on the scroll.”

וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ הַשָּׂרִים֙ אֶל־בָּר֔וּךְ לֵ֥ךְ הִסָּתֵ֖ר אַתָּ֣ה וְיִרְמְיָ֑הוּ וְאִ֥ישׁ אַל־יֵדַ֖ע אֵיפֹ֥ה אַתֶּֽם׃

[19] Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are.”

וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ חָצֵ֔רָה וְאֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֣ה הִפְקִ֔דוּ בְּלִשְׁכַּ֖ת אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וַיַּגִּ֙ידוּ֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֖ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִֽים׃

[20] So they went into the court to the king, having put the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, and they reported all the words to the king.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־יְהוּדִ֗י לָקַ֙חַת֙ אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה וַיִּ֨קָּחֶ֔הָ מִלִּשְׁכַּ֖ת אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וַיִּקְרָאֶ֤הָ יְהוּדִי֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּבְאָזְנֵי֙ כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֔ים הָעֹמְדִ֖ים מֵעַ֥ל הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

[21] Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary. And Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king.

וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ יוֹשֵׁב֙ בֵּ֣ית הַחֹ֔רֶף בַּחֹ֖דֶשׁ הַתְּשִׁיעִ֑י וְאֶת־הָאָ֖ח לְפָנָ֥יו מְבֹעָֽרֶת׃

[22] It was the ninth month, and the king was sitting in the winter house, and there was a fire burning in the fire pot before him.

וַיְהִ֣י׀ כִּקְר֣וֹא יְהוּדִ֗י שָׁלֹ֣שׁ דְּלָתוֹת֮ וְאַרְבָּעָה֒ יִֽקְרָעֶ֙הָ֙ בְּתַ֣עַר הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְהַשְׁלֵ֕ךְ אֶל־הָאֵ֖שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶל־הָאָ֑ח עַד־תֹּם֙ כָּל־הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה עַל־הָאֵ֖שׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽח׃

[23] As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot.

וְלֹ֣א פָחֲד֔וּ וְלֹ֥א קָרְע֖וּ אֶת־בִּגְדֵיהֶ֑ם הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַשֹּׁ֣מְעִ֔ים אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃

[24] Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.

וְגַם֩ אֶלְנָתָ֨ן וּדְלָיָ֤הוּ וּגְמַרְיָ֙הוּ֙ הִפְגִּ֣עוּ בַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֥י שְׂרֹ֖ף אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃

[25] Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.

וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־יְרַחְמְאֵ֨ל בֶּן־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וְאֶת־שְׂרָיָ֣הוּ בֶן־עַזְרִיאֵ֗ל וְאֶת־שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּֽן־עַבְדְּאֵ֔ל לָקַ֙חַת֙ אֶת־בָּר֣וּךְ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְאֵ֖ת יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֑יא וַיַּסְתִּרֵ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃ ס

[26] And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son and Seraiah the son of Azriel and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lord hid them.

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֑הוּ אַחֲרֵ֣י׀ שְׂרֹ֣ף הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּה֙ וְאֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר כָּתַ֥ב בָּר֛וּךְ מִפִּ֥י יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ לֵאמֹֽר׃

[27] Now after the king had burned the scroll with the words that Baruch wrote at Jeremiah's dictation, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

שׁ֥וּב קַח־לְךָ֖ מְגִלָּ֣ה אַחֶ֑רֶת וּכְתֹ֣ב עָלֶ֗יהָ אֵ֤ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִים֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָי֗וּ עַל־הַמְּגִלָּה֙ הָרִ֣אשֹׁנָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂרַ֖ף יְהוֹיָקִ֥ים מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָֽה׃

[28] “Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah has burned.

וְעַל־יְהוֹיָקִ֤ים מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ תֹּאמַ֔ר כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה אַ֠תָּה שָׂרַ֜פְתָּ אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר מַדּוּעַ֩ כָּתַ֨בְתָּ עָלֶ֜יהָ לֵאמֹ֗ר בֹּֽא־יָב֤וֹא מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶל֙ וְהִשְׁחִית֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את וְהִשְׁבִּ֥ית מִמֶּ֖נָּה אָדָ֥ם וּבְהֵמָֽה׃ ס

[29] And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord , You have burned this scroll, saying, “Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it man and beast?”

לָכֵ֞ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עַל־יְהֽוֹיָקִים֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֔ה לֹא־יִֽהְיֶה־לּ֥וֹ יוֹשֵׁ֖ב עַל־כִּסֵּ֣א דָוִ֑ד וְנִבְלָתוֹ֙ תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה מֻשְׁלֶ֔כֶת לַחֹ֥רֶב בַּיּ֖וֹם וְלַקֶּ֥רַח בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃

[30] Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah: He shall have none to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night.

וּפָקַדְתִּ֨י עָלָ֧יו וְעַל־זַרְע֛וֹ וְעַל־עֲבָדָ֖יו אֶת־עֲוֺנָ֑ם וְהֵבֵאתִ֣י עֲ֠לֵיהֶם וְעַל־יֹשְׁבֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם וְאֶל־אִ֣ישׁ יְהוּדָ֗ה אֵ֧ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם וְלֹ֥א שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃ ס

[31] And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity. I will bring upon them and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and upon the people of Judah all the disaster that I have pronounced against them, but they would not hear.’”

וְיִרְמְיָ֜הוּ לָקַ֣ח׀ מְגִלָּ֣ה אַחֶ֗רֶת וַֽיִּתְּנָהּ֮ אֶל־בָּר֣וּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּהוּ֮ הַסֹּפֵר֒ וַיִּכְתֹּ֤ב עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂרַ֛ף יְהוֹיָקִ֥ים מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְע֨וֹד נוֹסַ֧ף עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם דְּבָרִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים כָּהֵֽמָּה׃ ס

[32] Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah, who wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.