Jeremiah 36:23It happened, when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.
The setting
Jerusalem, 605 BC. Winter. King Jehoiakim sits by a brazier in his palace as his scribe reads Jeremiah's prophecies. With each section, the king cuts it off with his knife and throws it into the fire.
The emotion here: horrified at witnessing such brazen defiance of God
The original word
ta'ar (תַּעַר) — a scribe's knife, used for sharpening pens and cutting scrolls
Why it matters
This scroll took Jeremiah and Baruch an entire year to write and contained 23 years of prophecies
Read with care
What most readers miss in Jeremiah 36:23
Each 'leaf' represented months of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry being literally cut away
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows God's word can be destroyed. Actually, verse 28 shows God immediately told Jeremiah to rewrite it - God's word is indestructible.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Jeremiah 36:23
Bible Genome reading
Jeremiah 36:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Jeremiah 36:23 comes from the book of Jeremiah, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include rejection of God's word, rebellion. Notable phrases: cut it with the penknife; cast it into the fire.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Jeremiah 36:23 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "angry"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.