Baruch

Summary:

A two- to four-part book alleging to be the work of Jeremiah's scribe Baruch, writing from Babylon to the Judeans living in Jerusalem during the Exile. A prose "historical" introduction provides the fictional setting. A prose prayer confesses the sins of the Babylonian captives. A poetic eulogy of wisdom equates it with the Torah. A concluding psalm offers encouragement to the captives of their eventual return to Zion. The book is dominated by the themes of sin, exile, and return.

Alternate Title: 1 Baruch

Canonical Status:

Among the Deuterocanonical books of Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Russian Orthodox Churches Among the Old Testament Apocrypha of Protestants Not included in the Hebrew Scriptures - Tanak Included in the Septuagint and Vulgate (but not in their oldest manuscripts) Includes a sixth chapter in the Vulgate and King James Version, which is the

Epistle of Jeremiah in the Septuagint

Author:anonymous Jewish author, probably of the diaspora

Sources:

Prayer expands upon Ezra 9:6-10 and Dan 9:4-19

Indebtedness elsewhere to Isaiah 40-55; Jeremiah; Deuteronomy (esp. 28-32); and Lamentations

Date:

A composite work originating between the 6th century BC and 1st century AD

Probably 2nd and mid-1st century BC

Original Language:

Although no Hebrew text survives, the Greek versions presume a semitic (Hebrew or Aramaic) Vorlage. Other early versions (Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic) are translations of the Greek.

Notes prepared by George Lyons (Professor of Biblical Literature)

for the Wesley Center for Applied Theology at Northwest Nazarene University

Copyright 2000 by the Wesley Center for Applied Theology

Text may be freely used for personal or scholarly purposes or mirrored on other web sites, provided the notice below the horizontal line is left intact. Any use of this material for commercial purposes of any kind is strictly forbidden without the express permission of the Wesley Center at Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, ID 83686. Contact the webmaster for permission or to report errors.