King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 36:30 Mean?

Jeremiah 36:30 in the King James Version says “Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his de...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 36 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.”

Jeremiah 36:30 · KJV

Context

28

Take thee again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah hath burned.

29

And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?

30

Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

31

And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have pronounced against them; but they hearkened not. punish: Heb. visit upon

32

Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words. like: Heb. as they

Read Jeremiah 36 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost. This is one of Scripture's most specific and severe prophetic judgments. The declaration He shall have none to sit upon the throne of David doesn't mean Jehoiakim had no successor (his son Jehoiachin reigned three months), but that no descendant would permanently establish a dynasty. Coniah (Jehoiachin) was cursed to be childless regarding the throne (22:30), and Zedekiah (Jehoiakim's uncle) was the last king before exile. Jehoiakim's line was cut off from David's throne.

The prediction about his dead body being cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost (venivlato tihyeh mushlekhet lachom bayom velakkerah ballayelah, וְנִבְלָתוֹ תִהְיֶה מֻשְׁלֶכֶת לַחֹם בַּיּוֹם וְלַקֶּרַח בַּלָּיְלָה) promises shameful, unburied exposure—the ultimate disgrace in ancient Near Eastern culture. Burial was sacred; exposure of a corpse was covenant curse (Deuteronomy 28:26). The phrase "heat by day and frost by night" may indicate his body would lie exposed through temperature extremes, or it may be proverbial for complete disgrace. Jeremiah 22:19 declares he would have "the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."

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Historical & Cultural Context

The exact circumstances of Jehoiakim's death remain somewhat mysterious. 2 Kings 24:6 simply states "Jehoiakim slept with his fathers," using the standard formula for royal death, while 2 Chronicles 36:6 says Nebuchadnezzar bound him to carry him to Babylon but doesn't record the outcome. Josephus (Antiquities 10.6.3) reports that Nebuchadnezzar killed Jehoiakim and left his body unburied outside Jerusalem's walls, consistent with Jeremiah's prophecy. The historical ambiguity may reflect the chaos of the Babylonian invasion—records were disrupted, and shameful deaths were sometimes sanitized in official chronicles. What's certain is that Jehoiakim's dynasty ended quickly: his son Jehoiachin reigned only three months before exile (597 BC), and the Davidic line through Jehoiakim was permanently removed from the throne. The curse proved utterly accurate.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the severity of this judgment teach about the seriousness of despising and destroying God's word?
  2. How does the specific fulfillment of this prophecy (despite some historical ambiguity) demonstrate the reliability of God's declared judgments?
  3. In what ways does the contrast between Jehoiakim's comfortable winterhouse (v. 22) and his prophesied exposure to heat and frost illustrate divine justice?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 22 words
לָכֵ֞ן1 of 22
H3651

properly, set upright; hence (figuratively as adjective) just; but usually (as adverb or conjunction) rightly or so (in various applications to manner

כֹּֽה2 of 22
H3541

properly, like this, i.e., by implication, (of manner) thus (or so); also (of place) here (or hither); or (of time) now

אָמַ֣ר3 of 22

“Therefore thus saith”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

יְהוָ֗ה4 of 22

“the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

עַל5 of 22
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

יְהֽוֹיָקִים֙6 of 22

“of Jehoiakim”

H3079

jehojakim, a jewish king

מֶ֣לֶךְ7 of 22

“king”

H4428

a king

יְהוּדָ֔ה8 of 22

“of Judah”

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

לֹא9 of 22
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

יִֽהְיֶה10 of 22
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

לּ֥וֹ11 of 22
H0
יוֹשֵׁ֖ב12 of 22

“He shall have none to sit”

H3427

properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry

עַל13 of 22
H5921

above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications

כִּסֵּ֣א14 of 22

“upon the throne”

H3678

properly, covered, i.e., a throne (as canopied)

דָוִ֑ד15 of 22

“of David”

H1732

david, the youngest son of jesse

וְנִבְלָתוֹ֙16 of 22

“and his dead body”

H5038

a flabby thing, i.e., a carcase or carrion (human or bestial, often collectively); figuratively, an idol

תִּֽהְיֶ֣ה17 of 22
H1961

to exist, i.e., be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)

מֻשְׁלֶ֔כֶת18 of 22

“shall be cast out”

H7993

to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively)

לַחֹ֥רֶב19 of 22

“to the heat”

H2721

drought or desolation

בַּיּ֖וֹם20 of 22

“in the day”

H3117

a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an asso

וְלַקֶּ֥רַח21 of 22

“to the frost”

H7140

ice (as if bald, i.e., smooth); hence, hail; by resemblance, rock crystal

בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃22 of 22

“and in the night”

H3915

properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e., night; figuratively, adversity

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Jeremiah. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Jeremiah 36:30 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Jeremiah 36:30 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 22:302 Kings 24:12-15Genesis 31:40Jeremiah 22:18-19

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