What is the context of Jeremiah 36:31?

Jeremiah 36:31 is part of Jeremiah chapter 36, which contains 32 verses. This verse has 6 cross-references to other scriptures, showing its connections throughout the Bible.

King James Version

What Does Jeremiah 36:31 Mean?

Jeremiah 36:31 in the King James Version says “And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabit...” — study this verse from Jeremiah chapter 36 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“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”

Jeremiah 36:31 · KJV

Context

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?

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.

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

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary

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. The comprehensive scope of judgment—him and his seed and his servants—shows that Jehoiakim's sin infected his entire administration. The word punish (paqad, פָּקַד, meaning to visit, attend to, or reckon with) indicates divine visitation in judgment. The phrase for their iniquity (al-avonam, עַל־עֲוֺנָם) uses avon (עָוֺן), meaning guilt, iniquity, or the consequence of sin—emphasizing moral culpability, not mere misfortune.

The judgment extends beyond the king to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the men of Judah—the entire nation bears responsibility. God will bring all the evil that I have pronounced (kal-hara'ah asher dibbarti, כָּל־הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתִּי), meaning every warned consequence, every covenant curse, every prophesied judgment. The final indictment is devastating: but they hearkened not (velo shame'u, וְלֹא שָׁמֵעוּ). The verb shama (שָׁמַע) means to hear with intent to obey. They heard the words but refused obedience—the defining sin of Israel's exile generation (7:13, 25-26). This refusal to hear made judgment inevitable and complete.

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Historical & Cultural Context

This comprehensive judgment was fulfilled in stages. Jehoiakim died in disgrace (597 BC), his son Jehoiachin was exiled after three months (597 BC), Jerusalem's nobility and craftsmen were deported (597 BC), and finally Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed with mass exile (586 BC). The "evil" (calamity, disaster) God pronounced included all the covenant curses of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28-29: military defeat, foreign domination, exile, land desolation, famine, and destruction of the temple. Jeremiah had warned of these consequences for twenty-three years (25:3), pleading for repentance, but the people—led by kings like Jehoiakim—refused to listen. The phrase "they hearkened not" became Judah's epitaph. The tragedy was preventable; the judgment was just; the responsibility was corporate. The exile lasted seventy years, exactly as Jeremiah prophesied, vindicating the word they refused to hear.

Reflection Questions

What does the phrase 'but they hearkened not' teach about the difference between hearing God's word and obeying it?
How does the comprehensive scope of judgment (king, servants, inhabitants) illustrate the corporate nature of covenant responsibility?
In what ways might we be guilty of hearing Scripture's warnings but failing to 'hearken'—to obey with responsive action?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 24 words

וּפָקַדְתִּ֨י1 of 24

“And I will punish”

H6485

to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc

עָלָ֧יו2 of 24

H5921

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

וְעַל3 of 24

H5921

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

זַרְע֛וֹ4 of 24

“him and his seed”

H2233

seed; figuratively, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

וְעַל5 of 24

H5921

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

עֲבָדָ֖יו6 of 24

“and his servants”

H5650

a servant

אֶת7 of 24

H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

עֲוֹנָ֑ם8 of 24

“for their iniquity”

H5771

perversity, i.e., (moral) evil

וְהֵבֵאתִ֣י9 of 24

“and I will bring”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

עֲ֠לֵיהֶם10 of 24

H5921

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

וְעַל11 of 24

H5921

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

יֹשְׁבֵ֨י12 of 24

“upon them and upon the inhabitants”

H3427

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

יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם13 of 24

“of Jerusalem”

H3389

jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine

וְאֶל14 of 24

H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אִ֣ישׁ15 of 24

“and upon the men”

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

יְהוּדָ֗ה16 of 24

“of Judah”

H3063

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

אֵ֧ת17 of 24

H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

כָּל18 of 24

H3605

properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)

הָרָעָ֛ה19 of 24

“all the evil”

H7451

bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)

אֲשֶׁר20 of 24

H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי21 of 24

“that I have pronounced”

H1696

perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue

אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם22 of 24

H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

וְלֹ֥א23 of 24

H3808

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

שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃24 of 24

“against them but they hearkened”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

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 36:31 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 36:31 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Proverbs 29:1 Jeremiah 23:34 Jeremiah 19:15 Jeremiah 35:17 Matthew 23:37 Jeremiah 17:18

Places in This Verse

JerusalemSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E955 verses across 37 books

View all places in Jeremiah 36 →

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