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They asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us now, How did you write all these words at his mouth?”
Jeremiah 36:17 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?
  • BSB “Tell us now,” they asked Baruch, “how did you write all these words? Was it at Jeremiah’s dictation?”
  • NKJV And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us now, how did you write all these words—at his instruction?”
  • NASB Then they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words? Was it at Jeremiah’s dictation?”
  • NLT “But first, tell us how you got these messages. Did they come directly from Jeremiah?”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The officials ask Baruch how the scroll was written, seeking to verify its origin.

Overview

The princes inquire whether Jeremiah truly dictated the words, wanting to understand the source of this weighty message. Their careful questioning shows a measure of seriousness about whether this is genuinely from the prophet. It underscores the concern of these men to deal honestly with what claims to be God's word.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 3

  • John 9:15Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.”
  • John 9:26–27They said to him again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”
  • John 9:10–11They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Jeremiah videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Jeremiah 36:17YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JeremiahMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Against the failure of false shepherds Jeremiah promises the Righteous Branch, 'The LORD our righteousness,' and the new covenant written on the heart and sealed in the blood of Christ.

How Jeremiah 36:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.