19 The officials said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah must hide. Don’t let anyone know where you are.”
20 After they put the scroll in the side room of the scribe Elishama, they went to the king in the courtyard and told him everything.
21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. He took the scroll from the side room of the scribe Elishama. Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials standing by the king.
22 It was the ninth month, and the king was in his winter house sitting in front of the fire in the fireplace.
23 As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a scribe’s knife and throw them into the fire in the fireplace. He did this until the whole scroll was burned up.
24 The king and all his attendants didn’t show any fear or tear their clothes in fear when they heard everything being read.
25 Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he refused to listen to them.