In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks a pivotal moment: it's not just any prophecy, but a direct divine command for Jeremiah to compile all his past pronouncements into a single scroll. This wasn't about adding new words, but about solidifying and preserving what had already been spoken, suggesting a need for the message to endure beyond the spoken word.
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the beginning of a significant event where God directly commands Jeremiah to gather all his past prophecies, from the days of King Josiah up to this point, into a single scroll. This collection of messages, aimed at Judah and all the nations, is to be written by Jeremiah's scribe, Baruch, likely because Jeremiah himself was facing restrictions or dangers that prevented him from speaking publicly. The context is a time of increasing political instability and impending judgment on Judah, making this written record a crucial, potentially final, appeal for repentance before destruction.
Why would God command Jeremiah to write down everything he'd said? It wasn't just a suggestion; it was a vital mission. This reveals something profound about God's heart and His plan.
A Message for All Time
This wasn't about a casual reminder. God's word coming to Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign was a powerful directive. He was told to gather all the words spoken against Israel, Judah, and the nations.
Jerusalem was under increasing pressure, and King Jehoiakim was no friend to God's messengers. Yet, God commanded a written record. What does this tell us about divine strategy amidst opposition?
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Faithfulness Amidst Fear
The historical context of the fourth year of Jehoiakim is crucial. Judah was a vassal state to Babylon, a humiliating reality that fueled Jehoiakim's defiance and anger towards any prophecy of foreign dominion or judgment.
Understand the original words
dabar · Hebrew Noun
A divinely revealed message or communication from God, often functioning as a formal declaration of His will, judgment, or promise. It is inherently authoritative and active, possessing the power to accomplish the purpose for which it is sent.
The fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign was a pivotal moment: Judah had recently become a vassal of the rising Babylonian Empire after Egypt's defeat at Carchemish. This precarious situation, marked by the recent memory of the first deportation, fueled Jeremiah's urgent message and the divine command to preserve it in writing.
c. 609 BC
Jehoiakim becomes king of Judah
Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt installs Jehoiakim as king after deposing his brother. This marks a period of Egyptian influence and vassalage for Judah.
605 BC
Battle of Carchemish
Nebuchadnezzar, crown prince of Babylon, decisively defeats the Egyptian and Assyrian forces. This marks the ascendancy of Babylon and the decline of Egyptian power in the region.
Late 605 BC / Early 604 BC
First Babylonian deportation
Nebuchadnezzar's forces lay siege to Jerusalem, capturing some of the nobility and royal family, including Daniel. This event marks the beginning of Judah's vassalage to Babylon.
c. 604-601 BC— this verse
Jeremiah dictates prophecies to Baruch
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim's reign, Jeremiah is commanded by God to have his prophecies written down by his scribe, Baruch, to be read to the people.
601 BC
Jehoiakim rebels against Babylon
After three years of paying tribute to Nebuchadnezzar, Jehoiakim rebels, likely encouraged by Egyptian promises of support. This act of defiance directly provokes Babylonian retribution.
597 BC
Second Babylonian deportation and fall of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem again. Jehoiakim dies or is killed during the siege, and his son Jehoiachin is captured and exiled to Babylon, along with many other citizens and treasures.
This passage mirrors the divine command to consume the Word, emphasizing the importance of internalizing and then proclaiming God's message, just as Jeremiah was tasked with writing and proclaiming his prophecies.
Luke 1:1-4Like Jeremiah, Luke meticulously gathered eyewitness accounts and divine revelations to provide an orderly written account, showing the consistent pattern of God using written records to communicate His truth across generations.
John 1:14The Word of God, which came to Jeremiah, is the same Word that 'became flesh and dwelt among us,' highlighting the personal and powerful nature of God's communication, whether spoken through a prophet or embodied in Christ.
Acts 1:16This verse speaks of the Holy Spirit guiding the prophets in their message, underscoring that the 'word from the LORD' that came to Jeremiah was divinely inspired and intended to guide the people, much like the guidance sought in the early church.
Hebrews 1:1-2This passage connects the ancient prophetic messages, like those given to Jeremiah, to the ultimate revelation in Jesus Christ, showing that God has always spoken, but in these latter days, His speaking has culminated in His Son.
barnesJeremiah 36:1: "And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,"
In the fourth year of Jehoiakim - See Jeremiah 25:1 note. The present chapter belongs to the very end of that year. The capture of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar took place early in Jehoiakim's fourth year, long before the writing of Jehoiakim's scroll. The humiliation seems to have sunk deeply into the heart of Jehoiakim, and when Jeremiah…
calvinJeremiah 36:1-2: "And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,"
Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
Sume tibi volumen libri, et scribe in eo cunctos sermones quos loquutus sum ad to contra Israel et co…
This verse marks a pivotal moment: it's not just any prophecy, but a direct divine command for Jeremiah to compile all his past pronouncements into a single scroll. This wasn't about adding new words, but about solidifying and preserving what had already been spoken, suggesting a need for the message to endure beyond the spoken word.
This verse marks the beginning of a significant event where God directly commands Jeremiah to gather all his past prophecies, from the days of King Josiah up to this point, into a single scroll. This collection of messages, aimed at Judah and all the nations, is to be written by Jeremiah's scribe, Baruch, likely because Jeremiah himself was facing restrictions or dangers that prevented him from speaking publicly. The context is a time of increasing political instability and impending judgment on Judah, making this written record a crucial, potentially final, appeal for repentance before destruction.
This verse marks the beginning of a significant event where God directly commands Jeremiah to gather all his past prophecies, from the days of King Josiah up to this point, into a single scroll. This collection of messages, aimed at Judah and all the nations, is to be written by Jeremiah's scribe, Baruch, likely because Jeremiah himself was facing restrictions or dangers that prevented him from speaking publicly. The context is a time of increasing political instability and impending judgment on Judah, making this written record a crucial, potentially final, appeal for repentance before destruction.
"In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:" — This verse marks a pivotal moment: it's not just any prophecy, but a direct divine command for Jeremiah to compile all his past pronouncements into a single scroll. This wasn't about adding new w…
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Last reviewed October 2026