36:2 Take thee a scroll of a book, and write in it all the words that I have spoken to thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to thee, {b} from the days of Josiah, even to this day.
(b) Which were twenty and three years, as in Jer 25:3 counting from the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign.
36:2 A roll - Parchments, which anciently were their books. All the words - All the revelations he had from God for twenty - two years last past. God would have them recorded, that there might be a memorial of them, that so the truth of them might appear, when God should bring them to pass; the time of which now drew near.
36:1-8 The writing of the Scriptures was by Divine appointment. The Divine wisdom directed to this as a proper means; if it failed, the house of Judah would be the more without excuse. The Lord declares to sinners the evil he purposes to do against them, that they may hear, and fear, and return from their evil ways; and whenever any one makes this use of God's warnings, in dependence on his promised mercy, he will find the Lord ready to forgive his sins. All others will be left without excuse; and the consideration that great is the anger God has pronounced against us for sin, should quicken both our prayers and our endeavours.
