This verse from Jeremiah 36:20 describes a crucial moment in the story of the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies. Let's break it down:
"They went in to the king into the court;" "They" refers to a group of officials (likely princes or royal advisors) who had been listening to Baruch read Jeremiah's prophecies from the scroll. They went to King Jehoiakim in the royal court to report what they had heard.
"but they had laid up the scroll in the room of Elishama the scribe." This is significant. The officials, though concerned by the content of the scroll, did not want it immediately destroyed or lost. Elishama the scribe was a respected figure, suggesting the scroll was placed in a safe and secure location within his office. This implies they recognized the importance (and potential danger) of the message.
"Then they told all the words in the hearing of the king." The officials related the contents of the scroll to King Jehoiakim. They didn't just give him the scroll to read; they told him the words. This highlights their role as intermediaries, filtering and possibly interpreting the message for the king. It also implies that the reading of the entire scroll might have been quite lengthy, and they summarized it for him.
In essence, the verse describes a pivotal decision point:
The officials, after being disturbed by the scroll's contents, choose to inform the king. However, they prudently safeguard the scroll with Elishama the scribe, perhaps hedging their bets. They then present the information to the king, setting the stage for his reaction and the subsequent events of Jeremiah 36. This verse demonstrates a mix of concern, caution, and the officials' role as conduits of information within the royal court.
This verse from Jeremiah 36:20 describes a crucial moment in the story of the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies. Let's break it down:
"They went in to the king into the court;" "They" refers to a group of officials (likely princes or royal advisors) who had been listening to Baruch read Jeremiah's prophecies from the scroll. They went to King Jehoiakim in the royal court to report what they had heard.
"but they had laid up the scroll in the room of Elishama the scribe." This is significant. The officials, though concerned by the content of the scroll, did not want it immediately destroyed or lost. Elishama the scribe was a respected figure, suggesting the scroll was placed in a safe and secure location within his office. This implies they recognized the importance (and potential danger) of the message.
"Then they told all the words in the hearing of the king." The officials related the contents of the scroll to King Jehoiakim. They didn't just give him the scroll to read; they told him the words. This highlights their role as intermediaries, filtering and possibly interpreting the message for the king. It also implies that the reading of the entire scroll might have been quite lengthy, and they summarized it for him.
In essence, the verse describes a pivotal decision point:
The officials, after being disturbed by the scroll's contents, choose to inform the king. However, they prudently safeguard the scroll with Elishama the scribe, perhaps hedging their bets. They then present the information to the king, setting the stage for his reaction and the subsequent events of Jeremiah 36. This verse demonstrates a mix of concern, caution, and the officials' role as conduits of information within the royal court.
