And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
As Jehudi read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut those sections with a small knife and threw them into the fire burning in the fireplace. He kept doing this until the entire scroll was burned up in the fire.
This verse describes King Jehoiakim destroying God's written message by cutting it up and burning it piece by piece as it was being read to him.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred around 605 BC when the prophet Jeremiah had his scribe Baruch write down God's warnings to Judah on a scroll. When King Jehoiakim heard these prophecies of coming judgment, he defiantly destroyed the scroll in his winter palace fireplace. This act of rebellion against God's word symbolized the king's rejection of God's authority and warning.
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