²² Now the king was sitting in the winter house (it was the ninth month),^[a] and there was a metal heating pan with a fire of burning coals in front of him. ²³ Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king would cut it off with a scribe’s knife and throw it into the fire until the entire scroll was burned up in the fire. ²⁴ Neither the king nor his attendants who heard all these words were afraid. They did not tear their clothing.