Baruch: Meaning & Summary

The Book of Baruch is a short collection of writings set during the time of the Babylonian exile. Baruch was the secretary of the prophet Jeremiah. According to the book, Baruch read these words to the Jewish exiles in Babylon and the people wept, fasted, and collected money to send back to Jerusalem for offerings. The book gives voice to the grief and hope of people living far from home and far from God.

The book has three main parts. The first is a prayer of confession where the Jewish people admit that their exile is a punishment for their own sins and the sins of their ancestors. They ask God to forgive them and to act for his own glory. The second part is a poem praising wisdom and identifying it with the Law of Moses. God alone knows where wisdom is found, and he gave it to Israel as a precious gift.

The third part is a poem of encouragement addressed to Jerusalem. Jerusalem is told to stop mourning and to look east because God is bringing her scattered children home. Chapter six, known as the Letter of Jeremiah, is a separate piece included with the book. It mocks the idols of Babylon in sharp and repeated detail, urging the exiles not to fear or worship them. The whole book calls the exiles back to faith, repentance, and patient hope.