Baruch

Blessed. (1.) The secretary of the prophet Jeremiah (32:12; 36:4). He was of the tribe of Judah (51:59). To him Jeremiah dictated his prophecies regarding the invasion of the Babylonians and the Captivity. These he read to the people from a window in the temple in the fourth year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (Jer. 36). He afterwards read them before the counsellors of the king at a private interview; and then to the king himself, who, after hearing a part of the roll, cut it with a penknife, and threw it into the fire of his winter parlour, where he was sitting. During the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, he was the keeper of the deed of purchase Jeremiah had made of the territory of Hanameel (Jer. 32:12). Being accused by his enemies of favouring the Chaldeans, he was cast, with Jeremiah, into prison, where he remained till the capture of Jerusalem (B.C. 586). He probably died in Babylon. (2.) Neh. 3:20; 10:6; 11:5.

(blessed).

BA'RUCH (blessed). 1. The secretary of the prophet Jeremiah, was of a distinguished Jewish family. Jer 32:12. His friendship for Jeremiah was strong and constant. At his dictation Baruch wrote his prophecies. These he read before the princes, who rehearsed them to Jehoiakim, the king, having previously deposited the writing in one of the offices of the temple. The king ordered the writing to be read in his presence, and he became so much exasperated that he destroyed the manuscripts and gave orders to arrest both the prophet and his secretary, but they had concealed themselves. Jehovah, however, repeated the prophecies to Jeremiah, with some additions, and a second time did Baruch write them down. Baruch was falsely accused of influencing Jeremiah in favor of the Chaldaeans, and they were both imprisoned until the capture of Jerusalem, b. c. 586. They were afterward forced to go down to Egypt. Jer 43:6-7.2. The name of three other persons, otherwise unknown. Neh 3:20; Neh 10:6; Neh 11:5.

who is blessed

BARUCH, BOOK OF. One of the Apocrypha of the O. T., of uncertain date and authorship. See Jeremie, Epistle of.