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Baruch

maleDivided Monarchy

Meaning: “Blessed

The faithful scribe and companion of the prophet Jeremiah, who recorded his prophecies and re-wrote the scroll King Jehoiakim burned.

B

Biography

Baruch, son of Neriah, was the devoted scribe and companion of the prophet Jeremiah through the last turbulent years of Judah. At Jeremiah's dictation he wrote the prophet's words on a scroll and read them publicly in the temple (Jeremiah 36:4–8).

Re-writing the burned scroll

When King Jehoiakim cut up and burned that scroll, the LORD told Jeremiah to dictate it again — so Baruch wrote "all the words of the book which Jehoiakim... had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words" (Jeremiah 36:32).

A personal word

Baruch shared Jeremiah's sufferings and discouragement; God gave him a personal promise that, though disaster was coming on the land, his own life would be spared "for a prey in all places whither thou goest" (Jeremiah 45:5). After Jerusalem fell, he was taken with Jeremiah down to Egypt. His faithful pen preserved one of the longest books of the Bible.

Life Timeline

605 BC

Writes and reads Jeremiah's scroll in the temple

Jeremiah 36:8
604 BC

Re-writes the scroll Jehoiakim burned

Jeremiah 36:32

On the Bible timeline

Baruch belongs to the The Divided Monarchy era (c. 930 – 586 BC).

  1. c. 930 BCThe Kingdom Divides
  2. 722 BCThe Fall of Samaria
  3. 586 BCThe Fall of Jerusalem

Themes & lessons from Baruch

Biblical themes that run through the passages where Baruch appears.

Baruch21×Land3×Scribes3×Azariah2×Michaiah2×Shelemiah2×Word of God2×Ahikam1×Hanameel1×Nebuzar-Adan1×Nethaniah1×Prayer, Private1×Prophecy1×Seals1×Seraiah1×Shaphan1×Witness1×

People they appear with

Jeremiah10×
Jehoiakim2×
Josiah1×

Scripture Appearances

21 verses in 1 book
Jeremiah21 verses

Jeremiah 32:12

And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah 32:13

And I charged Baruch before them, saying,

Jeremiah 32:16

Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying,

Jeremiah 36:4

Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

Jeremiah 36:5

And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go into the house of the LORD:

Jeremiah 36:8

And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD'S house.

Jeremiah 36:10

Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD'S house, in the ears of all the people. entry: or, door

Jeremiah 36:13

Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

Jeremiah 36:14

Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came unto them.

Jeremiah 36:15

And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.

Jeremiah 36:16

Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely tell the king of all these words.

Jeremiah 36:17

And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write all these words at his mouth?

Jeremiah 36:18

Then Baruch answered them, He pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

Jeremiah 36:19

Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.

Jeremiah 36:26

But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them. of Hammelech: or, of the king

Jeremiah 36:27

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of Jeremiah, saying,

Jeremiah 36:32

Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words. like: Heb. as they

Jeremiah 43:3

But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.

Jeremiah 43:6

Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.

Jeremiah 45:1

The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,

Jeremiah 45:2

Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch;

Frequently asked about Baruch

Who was Baruch in the Bible?

The faithful scribe and companion of the prophet Jeremiah, who recorded his prophecies and re-wrote the scroll King Jehoiakim burned.

What does the name Baruch mean?

The name Baruch means “Blessed”.

What did Baruch do in the Bible?

Baruch served as scribe.

Where does Baruch appear in the Bible?

Baruch is mentioned 21 times across 1 book: Jeremiah.

What can we learn from Baruch?

The story of Baruch touches on themes of baruch, land, scribes, azariah — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Baruch's life.

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