Bible Dictionaries
Baruch

Holman Bible Dictionary

(bay' ryooch) The son of Neriah who served as Jeremiah's scribe and friend. He helped Jeremiah purchase a field from the prophet's cousin Hanameel and used the purchase as a symbol of hope (Jeremiah 32:12 ). Baruch, whose name means “blessed,” served Jeremiah as an amanuensis or scribe. He appears, moreover, to have had a close personal association with the prophet and to have exercised a significant influence in the ministry of Jeremiah. He wrote down Jeremiah's preaching and read it to the king's counselors who took it to the king. Jehoiakim burned it, but Jeremiah dictated it again (Jeremiah 36:1 ). Jeremiah was even accused of being a mere instrument of Baruch's enmity (Jeremiah 43:3 ). The prophet counseled Baruch to place his confidence wholly in the Lord and not to seek great things for himself (Jeremiah 45:1 ). A wide range of later literature was attributed to Baruch in Jewish tradition. See Jeremiah .