Jeremiah 36:20

THE READING OF THE BOOK BEFORE THE KING

"And they went in to the king into the court; but they had laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe: and they told all the words in the ears of the king. So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll; and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king. Now the king was sitting in the winter-house in the ninth month: and there was a fire in the brazier burning before him. And it came to pass that when Jehudi had read three or four leaves, that the king cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. And they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words. Moreover Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll; but he would not hear them. And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdiel to take Baruch and Jeremiah the prophet; but Jehovah hid them."

"Three or four leaves ..." (Jeremiah 36:23). The "roll of the book" did not have leaves, so what is meant is that "after reading three or four prophecies, the king refused to hear any more."

"The king cut it with the penknife ..." (Jeremiah 36:23). According to Keil, the tenses used here indicate that the king repeatedly cut the book, casting it into the fire until all of it was burned.[11]

As a number of commentators have pointed out, hardly any explanation is needed for this whole chapter.