"Gemaryahu, Son of Shaphan" Seal Impression

c. 604 BCE

Read while you listen

A prominent scribe mentioned in the book of Jeremiah is Gemariah, whose seal impression was found in the City of David excavations.The seal impression reads: "Gemaryahu, Son of Shapan"

Jeremiah 36:10

It was then that Baruch in the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, near the new gateway of the House of the L-RD, read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll to all the people in the House of the L-RD.

Israel Museum / Israel Antiquities Authority / City of David

‍

No items found.

Overview

In the Bible

Jeremiah 36:9-10

In the ninth month of the fifth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people coming from Judah proclaimed a fast before the L-RD in Jerusalem.

It was then that Baruch—in the chamber of Gemariah (Gemaryahu) son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, near the new gateway of the House of the L-RD—read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll to all the people in the House of the L -RD.

יִרְמְיָהוּ ל"ו, ט-י:

"וַיְהִ֣י בַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַֽ֠חֲמִשִׁית לִיהֽוֹיָקִ֨ים בֶּן־יֹֽאשִׁיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַתְּשִׁעִ֔י קָֽרְא֨וּ צ֜וֹם לִפְנֵ֧י ה' כָּל־הָעָ֖ם בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַבָּאִ֛ים מֵֽעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה בִּירֽוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ וַיִּקְרָ֨א בָר֥וּךְ בַּסֵּ֛פֶר אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בֵּ֣ית ה' בְּלִשְׁכַּ֡ת גְּמַרְיָהוּ֩ בֶן־שָׁפָ֨ן הַסֹּפֵ֜ר בֶּֽחָצֵ֣ר הָֽעֶלְי֗וֹן פֶּ֣תַח שַׁ֤עַר בֵּית־ה' הֶֽחָדָ֔שׁ בְּאָזְנֵ֖י כָּל־הָעָֽם."