Jeremiah 36:10

Then read Baruch in the booke, the wordes of Ieremiah in the house of the Lord, in the chamber of Gemariah the sonne of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court at the entry of the newe gate of the Lords house, in the eares of all the people. Jeremiah 36:10 (KJV)

In Jeremiah 36 the Lord commands the prophet to write down all the words He has spoken against Israel, Judah, and the surrounding nations. Jeremiah then summons Baruch, his scribe, and dictates these words to him. Baruch faithfully records them on a scroll. Verse 10 records the moment when Baruch reads the written words of Jeremiah aloud to the assembled crowd. The reading takes place in the house of the LORD, specifically in the chamber of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan the scribe, which was situated in the higher court at the entry of the new gate of the LORD’s house. The words are proclaimed “in the ears of all the people,” making the proclamation a public and communal event.

This public reading served as the means by which God’s warning and call to repentance were communicated to the nation. By delivering the message within the sacred precincts of the temple, the reading underscored the divine authority of the prophecy. The setting in the house of the LORD gave the proclamation symbolic weight, signalling that the words were not merely human opinion but the very voice of God.

The openness of the reading allowed the message to reach a broad audience, offering the people an opportunity to hear, understand, and respond to the impending judgment. It highlights the responsibility of messengers to convey God’s word faithfully and the power of public proclamation to affect hearts and minds. As the people of Jeremiah’s day were called to heed the Lord’s warning, we too are invited to listen attentively to Scripture and respond in repentance and obedience.