Biblical Profile: Baruch

Baruch

Baruch the son of Neriah was a royal scribe in Jerusalem who served as secretary for Jeremiah the prophet. His brother Seraiah was a “staff officer” in Zedekiah’s administration (Jer 51:59-64). Baruch’s family evidently ranked highly in the administration of Judah.

In the fourth year of King Jehoiakim of Judah (605 BC), God instructed Jeremiah to record the messages he had given to Israel, Judah, and the other nations (36:1-3). Jeremiah sent for Baruch, who wrote the prophecies down (36:4) and read the words to the people (36:8-19). When the message reached Jehoiakim, he destroyed the scroll and called for Baruch’s and Jeremiah’s arrest (36:21-26). But they had gone into hiding, where Jeremiah repeated the prophecies and Baruch again wrote them down (36:27-32).

At about that time, God gave Baruch a personal message through Jeremiah (Jer 45). Baruch might have been troubled about the loss of career prospects or personal comfort resulting from his association with Jeremiah. God comforted Baruch with an assurance of protection and instructed him not to seek “great things” for himself, because the promise of Judah’s destruction was certain.

When Jerusalem was destroyed in 586 BC, Baruch stayed with Jeremiah and the others who remained in the land. Apparently Baruch was viewed as influential: The rebel leaders wanted to go to Egypt and when Jeremiah warned them against it (Jer 42), they accused Baruch of persuading Jeremiah. The leaders did not listen but took Baruch and Jeremiah with them to Egypt (43:1-7). We do not know how, when, or where Baruch died. One tradition records that he was taken to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Egypt. It is also possible that Baruch died in Egypt.

Although God warned Baruch not to pursue great things, and he seemed to die without honor, his legacy might in fact be the book of Jeremiah, which he clearly had a hand in producing—a book that warns of judgment and eloquently expresses the hope for the new covenant (31:31-34).

In 1975, a clay impression (bulla) formed from a scribe’s seal was found with the words “[Belonging to] Berechiahu, son of Neriahu, the scribe” (Berechiahu is the long form of the name Baruch). Each scribe and government official had a unique seal bearing his name, with which he would seal documents to verify their authenticity—the ancient equivalent of a signature. The seal would be pressed into soft clay to form an impression (bulla), which was affixed to the signed document. The bulla of Baruch dates from the time of Jeremiah and Baruch; other bullae that were found include the names of several other individuals in Jeremiah (e.g., “Gemariah, son of Shaphan,” 36:10-12, 25; Ishmael, 40:7–41:10). Most scholars have concluded that the Baruch bulla was in fact formed by the seal of Baruch, Jeremiah’s scribe. These bullae, seemingly insignificant artifacts of an ancient civilization, provide independent historical verification of some of the details of Jeremiah’s account.

Passages for Further Study

Jer 32:9-15; 36:1-21, 26-32; 43:1-7; 45:1-5