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Baruch, 1

1. This is the text of the book written in Babylon by Baruch son of Neraiah, son of Mahseiah, son of Zedekiah, son of Hasadiah, son of Hilkiah,

1. These are the words of the book which Baruch the son of Neraiah, son of Mahseiah, son of Zedekiah, son of Hasadiah, son of Hilkiah, wrote in Babylon,

2. in the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldaeans had captured Jerusalem and burned it down.

2. in the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it with fire.

3. Baruch read the text of this book aloud to Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and to all the people who had come to hear the reading,

3. And Baruch read the words of this book in the hearing of Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and in the hearing of all the people who came to hear the book,

4. to the nobles and the sons of the king, and to the elders; to the whole people, that is, to the least no less than to the greatest, to all who lived in Babylon beside the river Sud.

4. and in the hearing of the mighty men and the princes, and in the hearing of the elders, and in the hearing of all the people, small and great, all who dwelt in Babylon by the river Sud.

5. On hearing it they wept, fasted and prayed before the Lord;

5. Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord;

6. and they collected as much money as each could afford

6. and they collected money, each giving what he could;

7. and sent it to Jerusalem to the priest Jehoiakim son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, and the other priests, and all the people who were with him in Jerusalem.

7. and they sent it to Jerusalem to Jehoiakim the high priest, the son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, and to the priests, and to all the people who were present with him in Jerusalem.

8. Also on the tenth day of Sivan he was given the utensils of the house of the Lord, which had been removed from the Temple, to take them back to the land of Judah; these were silver utensils which Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, had had made

8. At the same time, on the tenth day of Sivan, Baruch took the vessels of the house of the Lord, which had been carried away from the temple, to return them to the land of Judah -- the silver vessels which Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, had made,

9. after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had deported Jeconiah from Jerusalem to Babylon, together with the princes, the metalworkers, the nobles and the common people.

9. after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away from Jerusalem Jeconiah and the princes and the prisoners and the mighty men and the people of the land, and brought them to Babylon.

10. Now, they wrote, we are sending you money to pay for burnt offerings, offerings for sin, and incense. Prepare oblations and offer them on the altar of the Lord our God;

10. And they said: "Herewith we send you money; so buy with the money burnt offerings and sin offerings and incense, and prepare a cereal offering, and offer them upon the altar of the Lord our God;

11. and pray for the long life of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and of his son Belshazzar, that they may endure on earth as long as the heavens endure;

11. and pray for the life of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and for the life of Belshazzar his son, that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven.

12. and that the Lord may give us strength and enlighten our eyes, so that we may lead our lives under the protection of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and of his son Belshazzar, and that we may serve them for a long time and win their favour.

12. And the Lord will give us strength, and he will give light to our eyes, and we shall live under the protection of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and under the protection of Belshazzar his son, and we shall serve them many days and find favor in their sight.

13. Also pray to the Lord our God for us, because we have sinned against him, and the anger, the fury of the Lord, has still not turned away from us.

13. And pray for us to the Lord our God, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, and to this day the anger of the Lord and his wrath have not turned away from us.

14. Lastly, you must read the booklet which we are sending you, publicly in the house of the Lord on the feastday and appropriate days.

14. And you shall read this book which we are sending you, to make your confession in the house of the Lord on the days of the feasts and at appointed seasons.

15. You must say: Saving justice is the Lord's, we have only the look of shame we bear, as is the case today for the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

15. "And you shall say: `Righteousness belongs to the Lord our God, but confusion of face, as at this day, to us, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

16. for our kings and princes, our priests, our prophets, and for our ancestors,

16. and to our kings and our princes and our priests and our prophets and our fathers,

17. because we have sinned before the Lord,

17. because we have sinned before the Lord,

18. have disobeyed him, and have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God telling us to follow the commandments which the Lord had ordained for us.

18. and have disobeyed him, and have not heeded the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in the statutes of the Lord which he set before us.

19. From the day when the Lord brought our ancestors out of Egypt until today we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, we have been disloyal, refusing to listen to his voice.

19. From the day when the Lord brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt until today, we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, and we have been negligent, in not heeding his voice.

20. And we are not free even today of the disasters and the curse which the Lord pronounced through his servant Moses the day he brought our ancestors out of Egypt to give us a land flowing with milk and honey.

20. So to this day there have clung to us the calamities and the curse which the Lord declared through Moses his servant at the time when he brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt to give to us a land flowing with milk and honey.

21. We have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God in all the words of those prophets he sent us;

21. We did not heed the voice of the Lord our God in all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us, but we each followed the intent of his own wicked heart by serving other gods and doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God.

22. but, each following the dictates of our evil heart, we have taken to serving alien gods, and doing what is displeasing to the Lord our God.

22.



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Footnotes:

1:1-2 - The introduction to the book of Baruch emphasizes that it is a letter sent by the exiles of Judah in Babylon. The letter reflects the reality of captivity and the search for repentance, highlighting God's faithfulness even in times of suffering (see also Jeremiah 29:4-7 and Ezekiel 39:23-24).

1:3-4 - The letter affirms that the people of Israel acknowledge their guilt before God for their sins, which is the reason for the Babylonian captivity. This acknowledgment is an essential part of the process of repentance and spiritual restoration (see also 1 John 1:9 and Daniel 9:4-19).

1:5-10 - Repentance is the focus of the people's prayer. They acknowledge that the Lord is righteous in His judgment, but they cry out for His mercy. This prayer reflects the desire for reconciliation with God, even after great transgression (see also Psalm 51:1-17 and Luke 18:13-14).

1:11-14 - The people, through Baruch, petition God for His goodness to restore them and bring relief. The emphasis is on trust in God's goodness, which always offers an opportunity for repentance (see also 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Joel 2:12-13).

1:15-19 - Public confession and expression of repentance are seen as essential actions for Israel's restoration. God does not abandon the repentant, and always offers the chance for renewal and forgiveness (see also 1 John 2:1-2 and Isaiah 55:7).

Verses related to Baruch, 1:

Baruch chapter 1 introduces the historical context of the book. How do the exiles in Babylon respond to the calamity in Jerusalem? This situational text describes Baruch reading his work to the exiles, who react with weeping, fasting, and collecting offerings for Jerusalem. The chapter addresses themes of collective repentance and solidarity with those left behind in Judah. Baruch 1 sets the tone for subsequent reflections. Explore with us five biblical passages that align with the themes of exile and penance in this introductory chapter.

Jeremiah 29:1: "This is the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining leaders of the exiles, the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem to Babylon." - Just as Baruch 1 begins with a letter to exiles, Jeremiah also sent letters to exiles in Babylon, showing a similar historical context.

Daniel 9:3: "Therefore I turned to the Lord God with prayers and supplications, fasting, in sackcloth and ashes." - This passage reflects the attitude of repentance and supplication seen in Baruch 1:15-22.

Nehemiah 9:33: "In everything that happened to us you were fair; You acted loyally, even though we were bad." - This verse echoes the recognition in Baruch 1:15-17 that God is just in His judgment on Israel.

Lamentations 1:1: "How lonely is the city that had so many people! She became like a widow, who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces became a slave!" - This lament over Jerusalem reflects the historical context and tone of Baruch 1.

2 Chronicles 36:15-16: "The Lord, the God of your ancestors, repeatedly sent his warnings through his messengers, for he had mercy on his people and their dwelling. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised his words, and mocked his prophets, until finally the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, and there was no remedy." - This passage provides historical context for the exile mentioned in Baruch 1, explaining why God allowed His people to be taken captive.

FAQ:

What led the people of Israel into exile in Babylon?

Israel's exile came as a consequence of the people's disobedience to God, who did not follow His laws and turned away from His covenant. (Baruch 1:1-15)

What does Baruch do in Baruch chapter 1?

Baruch, under the direction of Jeremiah, writes a letter to the people exiled in Babylon, lamenting Israel's sin and asking for God's mercy. (Baruch 1:16-21)

What does Baruch's prayer reveal about God's character?

Baruch's prayer reveals that God is just, but also full of mercy, always ready to forgive those who repent and return to Him. (Baruch 1:15-22)

What is Baruch's request in his prayer for Israel?

Baruch asks God to have mercy on Israel, that the exiles may return, and that God may restore His covenant with the people. (Baruch 1:22-23)

What does Baruch say about Israel's repentance?

Baruch recognizes that Israel's repentance is necessary for restoration. The people must turn to God with a sincere heart. (Baruch 1:24-28)


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