EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)
(22)
Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month.—The “winterhouse” (the palaces of kings seem to have been commonly provided with such a special apartment; comp.
Amos 3:15) was probably the southern wing of the palace. It was in November or December, and, as glass windows were unknown, a charcoal fire, placed after the Eastern fashion in a brazier, or earthen pot, in the middle of the room, was a necessity. So we find a fire in the court of the high priest’s palace in the raw early morning of a Passover in March or April (
John 18:18).
Jeremiah 36:22.
Now the king sat in the winter-house— The princes and great men had distinct houses, or apartments, fitted for the several seasons of the year,
Amos 3:15.
In the ninth month— Which answers to the latter end of our November and part of December.
And there was a fire on the hearth burning before him— Hebrew,
יאת האח לפניו מבערת,
et focus coram ipso ardebat,Buxtorff: literally,
And a hearth,or,
fire-pan was burning before him.Thus the LXX.,
και εσγαρα πυρος κατα
προσωπον αυτου:
and a pan of fire before him.To the same purpose the Vulgate,
et posita erat arula coram eo plena prunis, There was set before him a little altar, or fire-pan, full of burning coals.The reason of this phraseology we have in the account which Lightfoot gives us from Maimonides, namely, that chimneys were not admitted at Jerusalem by reason of the smoke. And Mr. Harmer tells us, (chap. 3. obs. 24,) that Sir John Chardin, in his MS. notes, supposes that the fire which was burning before Jehoiakim was
a pan of coals;and cites a passage from him, which says, in French, “This was just as persons of quality warm themselves in winter in Persia, and particularly in Media, and wherever there is no want of wood. The manner in which they sit will not allow them to be near a chimney: in these places, therefore, of the East, they have great brasiers of lighted coals.” Harmer likewise informs us, that “the fires used at Aleppo, in the lodging rooms, are of
charcoal in pans;and that pans of coals are the fires which are often made use of in winter in Egypt.” It may be observed further here, that this description of Jehoiakim sitting in his winter-house, in the ninth month, with a pan of fire before him, answers to Dr. Russel’s account, who says, that the most delicate in those countries make no fires till the end of November. How long they continue the use of them he does not say: but we learn from other sources, that in Judea they are continued far into the spring: see
John 18:18.
36:20-32 Those who despise the word of God, will soon show, as this king did, that they hate it; and, like him, they would wish it destroyed. See what enmity there is against God in the carnal mind, and wonder at his patience. The princes showed some concern, till they saw how light the king made of it. Beware of making light of God's word!
The winterhouse - A separate portion of the palace was used for residence according to the season (marginal reference).
And there was a fire on the hearth ... - And the fire-pan burning before them. On the middle of the floor was a brazier containing burning charcoal.
22. winter house—(Am 3:15).
ninth month—namely, of the religious year, that is, November or December.
fire on … hearth—rather, the stove was burning before him. In the East neither chimneys nor ovens are used, but, in cold weather, a brazen vessel containing burning charcoal; when the wood has burned to embers, a cover is placed over the pot to make it retain the heat.
The ninth month with them answered part of our November and December, which was a time of the year called for fires.
Now the king sat in the winter house, in the ninth month,.... The month Cisleu, which answers to part of November, and part of December; and so was the midst of winter, and a proper time for the king to be in his winter house; though, as this was a fast day, it would have been more proper for him to have been at the worship of God in the temple,
Jeremiah 36:9. This winter house probably was a winter parlour, as distinguished from a summer parlour,
Judges 3:20; and both might be under the same roof, or parts of the same house; only the one might be more airy and cool, and the other more close and warm. Kings had their summer and winter houses; see
Amos 3:15; this circumstance is mentioned for the sake of what follows, the burning of the roll; and accounts for there being a fire at hand to do it:
and there was a fire on the hearth burning before him; there was a stove, or some such vessel or instrument, in which a large fire of wood was made, at which the king sat to keep himself warm while the roll was reading, and about which the princes stood.
Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the{l} ninth month: andthere was a fire on the hearth burning before him.(l) Which contained part of November and part of December.
