A Scroll for Future Days (36:1-32) 599
in the upper court at the opening of the New Gate in the house of Yahweh-in
the hearing of all the people. Another precise description in the narrative, al-
though for us the locations of the New Gate, the upper court, and Gemariah's
chamber remain uncertain. According to the reconstruction of Galling ( 1931 ),
the New Gate lay on the south side of the Temple, connecting the Temple to
the palace area (see Note for 26:10). The "upper court" (ba$er ha<efyon) ap-
pears to have been an extension of the "inner court" enclosing the Temple
( 1 Kgs 6:36), an area reserved for the priests (2 Chr 4:9). In 2 Chr 20: 5, men-
tion is made of a "new court" existing in the time of King Jehoshaphat (873-
849 B.c.). The "great court" ( 1 Kgs 7: 12) was an expansive "outer court" of lower
elevation, common to both Temple and palace and open to all (Rudolph; de
Vaux 1965b: 316-17). Gemariah's chamber must have provided access to the
"great court," since from this chamber Baruch read the scroll "in the hearing of
all the people." Some have suggested that Gemariah's chamber had a window
or balcony above the lower court (Blayney; Boadt). Compare the Pope's win-
dow at St. Peter's in Rome, which opens to the courtyard below.
- And Micaiah son of Gemariah, son ofShaphan, heard all the words ofYah-
weh from the scroll. Micaiah had apparently been left in charge of his father's
chamber while the latter was down at the palace with the princes (v 12). He
heard the public reading and knew that others must be apprised of it. The
name "Micaiah" in the Bible is associated primarily with the prophet who
spoke boldly before Ahab and Jehoshaphat ( 1 Kings 22). In extra biblical
sources, the name is known from Jerusalem ostraca and various seals and seal
impressions of unknown provenance (see Appendix I).
- And he went down to the house of the king, to the chamber of the scribe.
This scribal chamber (liskat hassoper) is in the royal palace, probably belong-
ing to Elishama, the scribe. It is mentioned again in vv 20-21 (Galling 1931:
5 5). Like the chamber belonging to Gemariah, it too may have been a library
(Muilenburg l 970a: 225). Micaiah "goes down" to the palace because the pal-
ace lies on lower ground than the Temple (see Note for 22:1).
and look! there all the princes were sitting: Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah
son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan son of Achbor, and Gemariah son of Shaphan,
and Zedekiah son of Hananiah, yes, all the princes. More circumstantial detail,
showing that the narrative is not legend but a reporting by someone on the
scene. We are told precisely who is sitting around the table. Baruch is not
present, but he will enter the room shortly (v 14). On the meaning of the word
sarfm ("princes"), which here includes individuals who are also trained scribes,
see Note for 24: 1.
Elishama, the scribe. The apparent successor to Shaphan, the scribe (see v I 0),
about whom nothing more is said in the narrative other than it was in his
chamber that the scroll was left when the group went to inform the king.
Elishama probably accompanied the group and may have gone back with Je-
hudi to collect the scroll after the king asked for it ( vv 20-21 ). But he was silent
when others urged the king not to burn the scroll (v 25), which may mean that
he was more loyal to Jehoiakim. The name "Elishama," which belongs to six
