Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.
The king was sitting in his winter palace during the ninth month, and there was a fire burning in the fireplace in front of him.
This verse sets the scene of King Jehoiakim sitting comfortably by a warm fire in his palace during winter.
📚 Historical Context
In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 36, the prophet Jeremiah dictates his prophecies to his scribe Baruch, who writes them on a scroll to warn Judah of impending judgment from God. This verse describes King Jehoiakim sitting in his winter house during the ninth month of the Jewish calendar, which corresponds to around November-December and was a time of cold weather in Jerusalem, making the fire on the hearth a practical necessity. This setting sets the stage for the king's arrogant rejection of God's word by burning the scroll.
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