Introduction

The long catalogue of calamities so consistently denounced by Jeremiah against his country Jeremiah 45:1-5, made a most painful impression upon Baruch‘s mind. He was of ambitious temperament Jeremiah 45:5, and being of noble birth as the grandson of Maaseiah, the governor of Jerusalem in Josiah‘s time 2 Chronicles 34:8, and a scribe, he appears to have looked forward either to high office in the state, or far more probably to being invested with prophetic powers. This address tells Baruch to give up his ambitious hopes, and be content with escaping with life only. Like the prophecy of the 70 years of exile, it would become a prediction of good only after really troubles had been undergone and pride was quelled. As regards the place of this prophecy it would come in order of time next to Jeremiah 36, but as that was a public, and this a private prophecy, they would not be written upon the same scroll. When the last memorials of Jeremiah‘s life were added to the history of the fall of Jerusalem, Baruch attached to them this prediction, which - humbled by years, and the weight of public and private calamity - he now read with very different feelings from those which filled his mind in his youth.

Verse 1

These words - i. e., the words of Jehoiakim‘s scroll.

Verse 3

Grief to my sorrow - Baruch‘s sorrow is caused by the sinfulness of the Jewish nation, to which God adds grief by showing how severely it will be punished.

I fainted in - Or, “am weary with” Psalm 6:6.

Verse 4

land - Or, earth. Baruch‘s lot was cast in one of those troublous times when God enters into judgment with all flesh Jeremiah 45:5. It was not Judaea only but the whole known world that was thrown into turmoil by Nebuchadnezzars energy Jeremiah 25:26.