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BARUCH (‘blessed’).—1. Son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah and brother of Seraiah (Jer_51:59); known from Jer_36:1-32; Jer_45:1-5; Jer_32:12-16; Jer_43:3; Jer_43:8; by Jeremiah’s side in the conflict with Jehoiakim (b.c. 604), again during the last siege of Jerusalem (587–6), and again amongst the Judæans left behind after the Second Captivity. ‘Baruch’ the scribe, named in Jer_36:26 along with ‘Jeremiah the prophet,’ is already the recognized attendant and amanuensis of the latter; he seems to have rendered the prophet over twenty years of devoted service. He belonged to the order of ‘princes,’ among whom Jeremiah had influential friends (Jer_26:16; Jer_36:25); Baruch’s rank probably secured for Jeremiah’s objectionable ‘roll’ (ch. 36) the hearing that was refused to his spoken words. When he cast in his lot with Jeremiah, Baruch made a heavy sacrifice; he might have ‘sought great things’ for himself, and is warned against his natural ambition (Jer_45:3-5). The promise that Baruch’s ‘life shall be given’ him ‘for a prey’ wherever he goes, placed where it is (Jer_45:5), suggests that he survived his master, to act as his literary executor. The Book of Jeremiah (see art.) owes much to this loyal secretary, though the final arrangement of the materials is far from satisfactory. Tradition adds nothing of any certainty to the references of Scripture; see, however, Jos. [Note: Josephus.] Ant. X. ix. 1, 7. For the Apocryphal writings attached to his name, see Apocrypha and Apocalyptic Literature. 2. One of the wall-builders (Neh_3:20). 3. A signatory to the covenant (Neh_10:5). 4. A Judahite (Neh_11:5).
G. G. Findlay.