Jeremiah 36:12

Jer 36:12 Then he went down into the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, [even] Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

Ver. 12. Then he went down into the king’s house.] For there was his father and the rest of the princes, suam aulam vel gulam confectantes, following their court delights, while the people were now humbling themselves before the Lord, and trembling at his Word. Great men are, many of them, of that Earl of Westmoreland’s mind, who profanely said, I need not pray to God, since having tenants enough to pray for me.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

scribe's chamber--an apartment in the palace occupied by the secretary of state.

princes--holding a counsel of state at the time.

Elnathan--who had already been an instrument of evil in Jehoiakim's hand (Jer 26:22-23).

Hananiah--the false prophet (Jer 28:10-17).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

It is not known with what design this Michaiah came to the princes and the king’s counsellors, he may have been an informer, who intended to create ill-will to the Prophet, and to ingratiate himself with the princes, as courtiers usually do. If this was the case, we may learn from this example, that not all who hear are so teachable and ready to obey as to make proficiency in the knowledge of good and holy doctrine: we see that many patiently hear and give some evidence of docility, and yet cherish perverseness in their hearts, and afterwards calumniate what they have heard. Such may have been the character of Michaiah, spoken of here. But his case may have been different, — that being filled with wonder, he conveyed to the king’s counsellors what he deemed new and, as it were, incredible. I leave this without offering an opinion, for we have nothing certain on the subject.

It is said that he came into the king’s palace, where all the princes sat, and into the chamber of the scribe It is probable that this scribe was the king’s chancellor, with whom were all the princes of the court. Some he names, and then says, that they were all there, and that Michaiah read to them the words which he had heard from the mouth of Baruch when he read to the whole people.

Now it was not without the wonderful purpose of God that the king at length came to know what had passed in the Temple, in order that his perverseness against God might be detected, as we shall hereafter see. This messenger, indeed, was the means of bringing danger to Jeremiah as well as to his servant Baruch; but the Lord protected them. However, the impiety and the obstinacy of the king were discovered; for when they were all terrified, he despised God and became enraged against his Prophet. He burnt the book, and wished also to destroy its author. It now follows, —

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(12) And, lo, all the princes sat there.—The following particulars may be noted as to the princes thus named. Elishama may have been identical with the prince of that name in 2Ki_25:25, and, if so, was the grandfather of a man who afterwards plays a conspicuous part in the history of the prophet’s life (Jeremiah 41) He appears to have taken a purely official line, as scribe, standing neutral between the prophet and his opponents. Delaiah (the name signifies “the Lord delivers,” and is found as that of a priest in the time of David, 1Ch_24:18) joins Elnathan and Gemariah in pleading against the king’s destruction of the prophetic roll. The name Shemaiah, which appears here as that of his father, is found in Neh_6:10 as belonging to a son of Delaiah, and this probably indicates relationship. On Elnathan, the son of Achbor, see Note on Jer_26:22. On Gemariah, see Note on Jer_36:10. Of Zedekiah nothing more is known, unless his father Hananiah be the prophet who opposes Jeremiah in Jer_28:1-17.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. he went down] See on Jer_22:1.

Elnathan the son of Achbor] mentioned ch. Jer_26:22.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then he went down into the king's house,.... The royal palace, which was not upon the mountain on which the temple stood, but lay lower, and therefore Micaiah is said to go down to it; with what design he went thither is not certain, whether out of ill will to Jeremiah and Baruch, or out of good will, being affected with what he had heard, and desirous that some steps might be taken by the government to prevent the calamities coming upon them, according to these prophecies; which latter seems most probable, since no charge or accusation is brought by him; and since his father, with others, to whom he gave the account afterwards, interceded with the king that the roll might not be burnt, Jer 36:25; however, immediately after he had heard the roll read, he went to the king's house:

into the scribe's chamber; the secretary's office; formerly his grandfather Shaphan's, now Elishama's:

and, lo, all the princes sat there; some of them are mentioned by name:

even Elishama the scribe; or secretary; the prime minister, the principal secretary of state, and therefore named first, in whose chamber or office they were:

and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah; who this person was, or his office, is not known; he is nowhere else made mention of; and who his father was is not certain:

and Elnathan the son of Achbor; the same that Jehoiakim sent to Egypt to fetch Uriah from thence, Jer 26:22;

and Gemariah the son of Shaphan: who was Micaiah's father, and in whose chamber Baruch read the roll:

and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah; of this prince also no account is given elsewhere:

and all the princes; the rest of them, who were either members of the great sanhedrim, or courtiers; it appears from hence that this court was very profane and irreligious; for though they had proclaimed a fast, to make a show of religion, or at the importunity of the people; yet they did not attend temple worship and service themselves, but were all together in the secretary's office, very probably about political affairs.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The scribe’s chamber - The chancery in which the king’s business was conducted. Probably Elishama was one of the “principal scribes of the host” Jer 52:25, i. e., the secretary of state for war. The business which had brought together “all the princes” would have reference to the Chaldaean war.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

It is uncertain whether this Michaiah went to make this relation to the princes who sat in the secretary’s chamber, as a piece of news only, or out of a malicious design to accuse the prophet and Baruch for what was done as a seditious practice.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

12. The scribe’s chamber — A public office where the king’s decrees were formulated and recorded; as has properly been suggested, the office of the secretary of state. The presence of all the princes may indicate the critical condition of public affairs.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He went down. (see on Jer_26:10) Sat there. In deliberation on the affairs of the state. Elishama the scribe. Gemariah, then, had a colleague. So in Solomon"s cabinet (if the word may be used) there were two soferim, or secretaries, one perhaps for the civil and one for the military business. (1Ki_4:3; comp, Jer_52:25) Elnathan. Mentioned already, Jer_26:22.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.