The Meaning of Jeremiah 36:21 Explained

Jeremiah 36:21

KJV: So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

YLT: And the king sendeth Jehudi to take the roll, and he taketh it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and Jehudi readeth it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the heads who are standing by the king;

Darby: And the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll, and he fetched it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes that stood beside the king.

ASV: So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes that stood beside the king.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So the king  sent  Jehudi  to fetch  the roll:  and he took  it out of Elishama  the scribe's  chamber.  And Jehudi  read  it in the ears  of the king,  and in the ears  of all the princes  which stood  beside  the king. 

What does Jeremiah 36:21 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The king proceeded to send Jehudi to get the scroll from Elishama in the scribe"s room. When Jehudi returned with it, he read it to the king and his officials.

Context Summary

Jeremiah 36:1-32 - A Vain Attempt To Destroy God's Word
These written words had been directly given from God, Jeremiah 36:18. The fast was instituted to seek divine help in the approaching conflict with Nebuchadnezzar. But of what good is a fast while the evils of apostasy and disobedience are unredressed? It was against these that Jeremiah protested; and his words were read to a vast concourse of people by Baruch his faithful friend. It was the month of December, and the royal chamber was warmed by a brazier of burning charcoal. As Jehudi read, the godless king cut the roll with a penknife and consigned it to the fire. All down the ages false priests have dealt thus with the Word that condemned them. But a sailor does not escape shipwreck by destroying the chart which indicates the rocks on which he is drifting. God's words are eternal, though the material on which they are written may perish. He who rejects God's truth does so at his peril, while God hides His faithful servants in the secret of His presence, secure from the attacks of enemies. [source]

Chapter Summary: Jeremiah 36

1  Jeremiah causes Baruch to write his prophesy,
5  and publicly to read it
11  The princes, having intelligence thereof by Michaiah,
14  send Jehudi to fetch the roll and read it
19  They will Baruch to hide himself and Jeremiah
20  The king, Jehoiakim, being certified thereof, hears part of it and burns the roll
27  Jeremiah denounces his judgment
32  Baruch writes a new copy

What do the individual words in Jeremiah 36:21 mean?

So sent the king - Jehudi to bring the scroll and he took it from chamber Elishama of the scribe and read it Jehudi in the hearing of the king and in the hearing of all the princes who stood beside the king
וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־ יְהוּדִ֗י לָקַ֙חַת֙ הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה וַיִּ֨קָּחֶ֔הָ מִלִּשְׁכַּ֖ת אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע הַסֹּפֵ֑ר וַיִּקְרָאֶ֤הָ יְהוּדִי֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּבְאָזְנֵי֙ כָּל־ הַשָּׂרִ֔ים הָעֹמְדִ֖ים מֵעַ֥ל הַמֶּֽלֶךְ

וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח  So  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוּדִ֗י  Jehudi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: son of Nethaniah and servant of king Jehoiakim.
לָקַ֙חַת֙  to  bring 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה  the  scroll 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְגִלָּה  
Sense: roll, book, writing.
וַיִּ֨קָּחֶ֔הָ  and  he  took  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מִלִּשְׁכַּ֖ת  from  chamber 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: לִשְׁכָּה  
Sense: room, chamber, hall, cell.
אֱלִישָׁמָ֣ע  Elishama 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁמָע  
Sense: an Ephraimite chief in the wilderness.
הַסֹּפֵ֑ר  of  the  scribe 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: סָפַר 
Sense: to count, recount, relate.
וַיִּקְרָאֶ֤הָ  and  read  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
יְהוּדִי֙  Jehudi 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּדִי  
Sense: son of Nethaniah and servant of king Jehoiakim.
בְּאָזְנֵ֣י  in  the  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וּבְאָזְנֵי֙  and  in  the  hearing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, fdc
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
כָּל־  of  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
הַשָּׂרִ֔ים  the  princes 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הָעֹמְדִ֖ים  who  stood 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
מֵעַ֥ל  beside 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.