1.
The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying,
1. these words—his prophecies
from the thirteenth year of Josiah to the fourth of Jehoiakim.
2.
Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee, O Baruch;
3.
Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.
3. Thou didst say, c.—Jeremiah
does not spare his disciple, but unveils his fault, namely, fear for
his life by reason of the suspicions which he incurred in the eyes of
his countrymen (compare ), as if he was in sympathy with the Chaldeans (), and instigator of Jeremiah also ingratitude in speaking of
his "grief," &c., whereas he ought to deem himself
highly blessed in being employed by God to record Jeremiah's
prophecies.
added—rescued from the
peril of my first writing (). I am again involved in a similar peril. He upbraids God
as dealing harshly with him.
I fainted—rather, "I
am weary."
no rest—no quiet
resting-place.
4.
Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.
4. that which I have built . . .
planted I will pluck up— (). This whole nation (the Jews) which I founded and planted
with such extraordinary care and favor, I will overthrow.
5.
And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
5. seekest thou great things for
thyself—Thou art over-fastidious and self-seeking. When My own
peculiar people, a "whole" nation (), and the temple, are being given to ruin, dost thou
expect to be exempt from all hardship? Baruch had raised his
expectations too high in this world, and this made his distresses
harder to be borne. The frowns of the world would not disquiet us if
we did not so eagerly covet its smiles. What folly to seek great
things for ourselves here, where everything is little, and nothing
certain!
all flesh—the whole
Jewish nation and even foreign peoples ().
but thy life . . . for a
prey—Esteem it enough at such a general crisis that thy life
shall be granted thee. Be content with this boon of life which I will
rescue from imminent death, even as when all things are given up to
plunder, if one escape with aught, he has a something saved as his
"prey" (Jeremiah 21:9). It
is striking how Jeremiah, who once used such complaining language
himself, is enabled now to minister the counsel requisite for Baruch
when falling into the same sin (Jeremiah 12:1-5;
Jeremiah 15:10-18). This is part
of God's design in suffering His servants to be tempted, that their
temptations may adapt them for ministering to their fellow servants
when tempted.