Baruch (Jeremiah writes, son of Neriah)
The Prophet's Faithful Scribe
Baruch was the son of Neriah and served as the personal scribe and secretary to the prophet Jeremiah. He wrote down Jeremiah's prophecies on scrolls, read them publicly, and remained faithful to the prophet through persecution and the fall of Jerusalem. He accompanied Jeremiah to Egypt after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem.
Family
Key events
Writing Jeremiah's Prophecies on a Scroll
Baruch wrote down all the words of the Lord that Jeremiah dictated to him on a scroll, after Jeremiah had been denied access to the temple.
1In the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הָרְבִיעִ֔ת לִיהוֹיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה הָיָ֞ה הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃
2"Take a scroll and write on it all the words I have spoken to you concerning Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you in the days of Josiah until now.
קַח־לְךָ֮ מְגִלַּת־סֵפֶר֒ וְכָתַבְתָּ֣ אֵלֶ֗יהָ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֞ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי אֵלֶ֛יךָ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל וְעַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וְעַל־כָּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם מִיּ֞וֹם דִּבַּ֤רְתִּי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ מִימֵ֣י יֹאשִׁיָּ֔הוּ וְעַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
3Perhaps when the house of Judah hears of all the disaster I intend to bring on them, they will each turn from their evil way, and I will forgive their guilt and their sin."
אוּלַ֤י יִשְׁמְעוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יְהוּדָ֔ה אֵ֚ת כָּל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י חֹשֵׁ֖ב לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לָהֶ֑ם לְמַ֣עַן יָשׁ֗וּבוּ אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכּ֣וֹ הָרָעָ֔ה וְסָלַחְתִּ֥י לַעֲוֺנָ֖ם וּלְחַטָּאתָֽם׃ ס
4So Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated, Baruch wrote on the scroll all the words the LORD had spoken to him.
וַיִּקְרָ֣א יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ אֶת־בָּר֖וּךְ בֶּן־נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה וַיִּכְתֹּ֨ב בָּר֜וּךְ מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֗הוּ אֵ֣ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֧י יְהוָ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֵלָ֖יו עַל־מְגִלַּת־סֵֽפֶר׃
Reading the Scroll in the Temple
Baruch read publicly from the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies in the house of the Lord on a day of fasting, so that all the people could hear God's word.
8Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet had commanded him, reading the words of the LORD from the scroll at the house of the LORD.
וַיַּ֗עַשׂ בָּרוּךְ֙ בֶּן־נֵ֣רִיָּ֔ה כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֑יא לִקְרֹ֥א בַסֵּ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בֵּ֥ית יְהֹוָֽה׃ ס
9In the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, a fast before the LORD was proclaimed for all the people of Jerusalem and for all who came in to Jerusalem from the towns of Judah.
וַיְהִ֣י בַשָּׁנָ֣ה הַ֠חֲמִשִׁית לִיהוֹיָקִ֨ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֤הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַתְּשִׁעִ֔י קָרְא֨וּ צ֜וֹם לִפְנֵ֧י יְהוָ֛ה כָּל־הָעָ֖ם בִּירֽוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְכָל־הָעָ֗ם הַבָּאִ֛ים מֵעָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
10Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read Jeremiah's words from the scroll at the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court at the entrance of the New Gate of the LORD's house.
וַיִּקְרָ֨א בָר֥וּךְ בַּסֵּ֛פֶר אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֥י יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה בְּלִשְׁכַּ֡ת גְּמַרְיָהוּ֩ בֶן־שָׁפָ֨ן הַסֹּפֵ֜ר בֶּחָצֵ֣ר הָעֶלְי֗וֹן פֶּ֣תַח שַׁ֤עַר בֵּית־יְהוָה֙ הֶֽחָדָ֔שׁ בְּאָזְנֵ֖י כָּל־הָעָֽם׃
King Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll
When King Jehoiakim heard the contents of the scroll, he cut it into pieces and threw it into the fire. Baruch and Jeremiah had to hide.
23Each time Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a scribe's knife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire.
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּקְר֣וֹא יְהוּדִ֗י שָׁלֹ֣שׁ דְּלָתוֹת֮ וְאַרְבָּעָה֒ יִֽקְרָעֶ֙הָ֙ בְּתַ֣עַר הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְהַשְׁלֵ֕ךְ אֶל־הָאֵ֖שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶל־הָאָ֑ח עַד־תֹּם֙ כָּל־הַמְּגִלָּ֔ה עַל־הָאֵ֖שׁ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הָאָֽח׃
24Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did any of them tear their clothes.
וְלֹ֣א פָחֲד֔וּ וְלֹ֥א קָרְע֖וּ אֶת־בִּגְדֵיהֶ֑ם הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַשֹּׁ֣מְעִ֔ים אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֖ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃
25Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.
וְגַם֩ אֶלְנָתָ֨ן וּדְלָיָ֤הוּ וּגְמַרְיָ֙הוּ֙ הִפְגִּ֣עוּ בַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לְבִלְתִּ֥י שְׂרֹ֖ף אֶת־הַמְּגִלָּ֑ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃
26Instead the king ordered Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the LORD had hidden them.
וַיְצַוֶּ֣ה הַ֠מֶּלֶךְ אֶת־יְרַחְמְאֵ֨ל בֶּן־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ וְאֶת־שְׂרָיָ֣הוּ בֶן־עַזְרִיאֵ֗ל וְאֶת־שֶֽׁלֶמְיָ֙הוּ֙ בֶּֽן־עַבְדְּאֵ֔ל לָקַ֙חַת֙ אֶת־בָּר֣וּךְ הַסֹּפֵ֔ר וְאֵ֖ת יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֑יא וַיַּסְתִּרֵ֖ם יְהוָֽה׃ ס
Rewriting the Scroll
After the first scroll was burned, Jeremiah dictated all the words again to Baruch, who wrote them down once more with many additions.
32So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch son of Neriah the scribe, and as Jeremiah dictated, he wrote on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.
וְיִרְמְיָ֜הוּ לָקַ֣ח ׀ מְגִלָּ֣ה אַחֶ֗רֶת וַֽיִּתְּנָהּ֮ אֶל־בָּר֣וּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּהוּ֮ הַסֹּפֵר֒ וַיִּכְתֹּ֤ב עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ אֵ֚ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֣י הַסֵּ֔פֶר אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׂרַ֛ף יְהוֹיָקִ֥ים מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה בָּאֵ֑שׁ וְע֨וֹד נוֹסַ֧ף עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם דְּבָרִ֥ים רַבִּ֖ים כָּהֵֽמָּה׃ ס
Receiving a Personal Message from God
God gave Baruch a personal message through Jeremiah, warning him not to seek great things for himself, but promising that his life would be spared.
1This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch son of Neriah, when he wrote these words on a scroll at Jeremiah's dictation, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:
הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר דִּבֶּר֙ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא אֶל־בָּר֖וּךְ בֶּֽן־נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה בְּכָתְבוֹ֩ אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֨ים הָאֵ֤לֶּה עַל־סֵ֙פֶר֙ מִפִּ֣י יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ בַּשָּׁנָה֙ הָֽרְבִעִ֔ית לִיהוֹיָקִ֧ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֛הוּ מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃ ס
2This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning you, Baruch:
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל עָלֶ֖יךָ בָּרֽוּךְ׃
3You have said, "How wretched I am! The LORD has added grief to my pain. I am worn out with groaning, and I find no rest."
אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ אֽוֹי־נָ֣א לִ֔י כִּֽי־יָסַ֧ף יְהוָ֛ה יָג֖וֹן עַל־מַכְאֹבִ֑י יָגַ֙עְתִּי֙ בְּאַנְחָתִ֔י וּמְנוּחָ֖ה לֹ֥א מָצָֽאתִי׃ ס
4Say this to him: This is what the LORD says: Look — what I have built I am tearing down, and what I have planted I am uprooting; and so it will be throughout the whole land.
כֹּ֣ה ׀ תֹּאמַ֣ר אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנֵּ֤ה אֲשֶׁר־בָּנִ֙יתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י הֹרֵ֔ס וְאֵ֥ת אֲשֶׁר־נָטַ֖עְתִּי אֲנִ֣י נֹתֵ֑שׁ וְאֶת־כָּל־הָאָ֖רֶץ הִֽיא׃
5And you — are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I am about to bring disaster on all flesh, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will grant you your life as spoil.
וְאַתָּ֛ה תְּבַקֶּשׁ־לְךָ֥ גְדֹל֖וֹת אַל־תְּבַקֵּ֑שׁ כִּ֡י הִנְנִי֩ מֵבִ֨יא רָעָ֤ה עַל־כָּל־בָּשָׂר֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְנָתַתִּ֨י לְךָ֤ אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֙ לְשָׁלָ֔ל עַ֥ל כָּל־הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תֵּֽלֶךְ־שָֽׁם׃ ס
Following Jeremiah to Egypt
After the fall of Jerusalem, Baruch was taken with Jeremiah to Egypt by the remaining Judeans, despite God's warning against going there.
5Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took the whole remnant of Judah—those who had come back from all the nations where they had been scattered, to live in the land of Judah:
וַיִּקַּ֞ח יוֹחָנָ֤ן בֶּן־קָרֵ֙חַ֙ וְכָל־שָׂרֵ֣י הַחֲיָלִ֔ים אֵ֖ת כָּל־שְׁאֵרִ֣ית יְהוּדָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־שָׁ֗בוּ מִכָּל־הַגּוֹיִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִדְּחוּ־שָׁ֔ם לָג֖וּר בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יְהוּדָֽה׃
6the men, the women, the children, the king's daughters, and every person whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, along with Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah.
אֶֽת־הַ֠גְּבָרִים וְאֶת־הַנָּשִׁ֣ים וְאֶת־הַטַּף֮ וְאֶת־בְּנ֣וֹת הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ וְאֵ֣ת כָּל־הַנֶּ֗פֶשׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִנִּ֙יחַ֙ נְבוּזַרְאֲדָ֣ן רַב־טַבָּחִ֔ים אֶת־גְּדַלְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אֲחִיקָ֣ם בֶּן־שָׁפָ֑ן וְאֵת֙ יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ הַנָּבִ֔יא וְאֶת־בָּר֖וּךְ בֶּן־נֵרִיָּֽהוּ׃
7They went to the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD, and they came as far as Tahpanhes.
וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם כִּ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ בְּק֣וֹל יְהוָ֑ה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־תַּחְפַּנְחֵֽס׃ ס