Stories of the Prophets (Before the Exile)Landman, Isaac
Religion
Stories of the Prophets (Before the Exile)
Landman, Isaac
Bible. Prophets
When Baruch had finished his answer to the questioners, Macaiah had
had enough. Without a word he made his way through the crowd and ran
all the way to the palace where, he knew, his father was at the
counsel of the princes.
Post-haste and out of breath, he entered the scribe's chamber and
repeated, as best he could, the words he had heard Baruch read out of
the book to the people.
Here was a very awkward situation. The princes admitted Jeremiah's
cleverness and Baruch's courage; but just at this time, when the king
was contemplating rebellion from Babylonia, such preaching was
treasonable and would prove injurious to the cause.
They held a hurried conference. Some were for the immediate arrest of
Baruch; some were for his immediate death; some, who were opposed to
rebellion, were for hearing the book read to them. Among the latter
was Gemariah. One of their number, therefore, Jehudi by name, was
despatched to the Temple with orders to bring Baruch and his scroll to
the palace.
CHAPTER XV.
_The King Hears and Acts._
Jehudi arrived in Gemariah's chamber to hear Baruch finish this:
"Thus saith the Lord:
"'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom; neither let the
mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory
in his riches; but let him that glorieth, glory in this,
that he hath understanding, and knoweth me, that I am the
Lord who exerciseth loving-kindness, justice and righteousness
in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.'"
Jehudi pushed his way roughly through the crowd to Baruch. He laid his
hand upon the speaker's shoulder and ordered him, in the name of the
princes, to accompany him.
Baruch did not hesitate. His mind had been made up to face any
consequences that might result from his mission. His heart, therefore,
was strong and he accompanied Jehudi without protest.
Some of the princes marveled at the youth of Baruch, when they beheld
him. He felt much reassured when Gemariah stepped forward, smiled at
him and took the scroll from his hands. The son of Shaphan glanced at
several columns of the scroll, returned it to Baruch and said:
"Sit down, now, and read it in our ears."
While selecting his passages, Baruch thought very quickly. Why not
select prophecies that these princes would repeat to the king? Nothing
could please his master more than that Jehoiakim should hear; perhaps,
at last, he would understand. Therefore Baruch chose the following,
addressed to the "King of Judah that sittest upon the throne of David,
thou and thy servants and thy people".
"Execute ye justice and righteousness and deliver him that
is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor; and do no wrong,
do no violence, to the sojourner, the fatherless, nor the
widow; neither shed innocent blood in this place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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