The Jews of Babylon send the book of Baruch with money to Jerusalem, requesting their brethren there to offer sacrifice, and to pray for the king and for them, acknowledging their manifold sins.
The Iewes in Babylon hauing heard Baruchs booke redde, 6. send the same, with money to Ierusalem, 10. requesting their bretheren there to offer sacrifice, and to pray for the king and prince of Babylon; and for them, 15. acknowleging their manifold sinnes.
1And these are the words of the book, which Baruch the son of Nerias, the son of Maasias, the son of Sedecias, the son of Sedei, the son of Helcias, wrote in Babylonia.E queste son le parole del libro scritto da Baruch figliuolo di Neria, figliuolo di Maasia, figliuolo di Sedecia, figliuolo di Sedei, figliuolo di Helcia in Babilonia,AND these be the wordes of the booke, that Baruch the sonne of Nerias, the sonne of Maasias, the sonne of Sedecias, the sonne of Sedei, the sonne of Helcias wrote in Babylon,Et hæc verba libri quæ scripsit Baruch filius Neriæ, filii Maasiæ, filii Sedeciæ, filii Sedei, filii Helciæ, in Babylonia, 2In the fifth year, in the seventh day of the month, at the time that the Chaldeans took Jerusalem, and burnt it with fire.L'anno quinto ai sette del mese dal tempo, che i Caldei preser Gerusalemme, e la incendiarono.in the fifth yeare, in the seuenth day of the moneth, at the time that the Chaldees tooke Ierusalem, and burnt it with fyre.in anno quinto, in septimo die mensis, in tempore quo ceperunt Chaldæi Jerusalem, et succenderunt eam igni. 3And Baruch read the words of this book in the hearing of Jechonias the son of Joakim king of Juda, and in the hearing of all the people that came to hear the book.E lesse Baruch le parole di questo libro dinanzi a Jechonia figliuolo di Joachim re di Giuda, e davanti a tutto il popolo, che andava a sentirle,And Baruch redde the wordes of this booke vnto the eares of Iechonias the sonne of Ioakim king of Iuda, and to the eares of al the people comming to the booke,Et legit Baruch verba libri hujus ad aures Jechoniæ filii Joakim regis Juda, et ad aures universi populi venientis ad librum, 4And in the hearing of the nobles, the sons of the kings, and in the hearing of the ancients, and in the hearing of the people, from the least even to the greatest of them that dwelt in Babylonia, by the river Sedi.E davanti a tutti i grandi, e figliuoli de' regi, e davanti a' seniori, e davanti al popolo dal più piccolo fino al più grande di tutti coloro, che abitavano in Babilonia presso al fiume Sodi.and to the eares of the mightie, the sonnes of the kinges, and to the eares of the ancients, and to the eares of the people, from the least euen to the greatest of them, that dwelt in Babylon, by the riuer Sodi.et ad aures potentium, filiorum regum, et ad aures presbyterorum, et ad aures populi, a minimo usque ad maximum eorum, omnium habitantium in Babylonia, ad flumen Sodi.
5And when they heard it they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord.I quali in ascoltando piangevano, e digiunavano, e facean orazione nel cospetto del Signore.Who hearing it wept, and fasted, and prayed in the sight of our Lord.Qui audientes plorabant, et jejunabant, et orabant in conspectu Domini. 6And they made a collection of money according to every man’s power.E fecer colletta di denaro secondo la possibilità di ciascheduno:And they gathered money, according as euerie mans hand was able,Et collegerunt pecuniam, secundum quod potuit uniuscujusque manus, 7And they sent it to Jerusalem to Joakim the priest, the son of Helcias, the son of Salom, and to the priests, and to all the people, that were found with him in Jerusalem:E lo mandarono a Gerusalemme a Joachim figliuolo di Helcia, figliuolo di Salom sacerdote, ed ai sacerdoti, e a tutto il popolo, che si trovava con lui in Gerusalemme,and they sent into Ierusalem to Ioakim the sonne of Helcias, the sonne of Salom, priest, and to the priests, and to al the people, that were found with him in Ierusalem.et miserunt in Jerusalem ad Joakim filium Helciæ filii Salom sacerdotem, et ad sacerdotes, et ad omnem populum qui inventi sunt cum eo in Jerusalem: 8At the time when he received the vessels of the temple of the Lord, which had been taken away out of the temple, to return them into the land of Juda the tenth day of the month Sivan, the silver vessels, which Sedecias the son of Josias king of Juda had made,Dopoché egli ebbe ricevuto i vasi del tempio del Signore, che erano stati portati via dal tempio per rimandarli nella terra di Giuda a' dieci del mese Sivan, i quali erano i vasi di argento fatti da Sedecia figliuolo di Josia re di Giuda.When he tooke the vessels of the temple of our Lord, which had bene taken away out of the temple, to returne them into the Land of Iuda the tenth day of the moneth Siuan, the siluer vessels, which Sedecias the sonne of Iosias the king of Iuda made,cum acciperet vasa templi Domini, quæ ablata fuerant de templo, revocare in terram Juda, decima die mensis Sivan, vasa argentea quæ fecit Sedecias filius Josiæ rex Juda, 9After that Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had carried away Jechonias, and the princes, and all the powerful men, and the people of the land from Jerusalem, and brought them bound to Babylon.Dopo che Nabuchodonosor re di Babilonia ebbe fatto prigione Jechonia, e i principi, e tutti i grandi, e il popolo del paese, e legati li condusse da Gerusalemme a Babilonia.after that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon had taken Iechonias, and the princes, and al the mightie, and the people of the land from Ierusalem, and brought them bound into Babylon.posteaquam cepisset Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis Jechoniam, et principes, et cunctos potentes, et populum terræ, ab Jerusalem, et duxit eos vinctos in Babylonem.
10And they said: Behold we have sent you money, buy with it holocausts, and frankincense, and make meat offerings, and offerings for sin at the altar of the Lord our God:E scrissero: Ecco che noi vi abbiam mandato del denaro, col quale comperate gli olocausti, e l'incenso, e fatene obblazione, e offerite ostie per lo peccato all'altare del Signore Dio nostro,And they said: Behold we haue sent you money, with the which bye ye holocausts, and frankincense, and make manna, and offer for sinne at the altar of the Lord our GodEt dixerunt: Ecce misimus ad vos pecunias, de quibus emite holocautomata et thus: et facite manna, et offerte pro peccato, ad aram Domini Dei nostri: 11And pray ye for the life of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his son, that their days may be upon earth as the days of heaven:E pregate per la conservazione di Nabuchodonosor re di Babilonia, e per la conservazione di Balthasar suo figliuolo, affinchè i loro giorni sopra la terra siano come i giorni del cielo,and pray ye for the life of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and for the life of Balthasar his sonne, that their dayes may be as the dayes of heauen vpon the earth:et orate pro vita Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis, et pro vita Baltassar filii ejus, ut sint dies eorum sicut dies cæli super terram: 12And that the Lord may give us strength, and enlighten our eyes, that we may live under the shadow of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and under the shadow of Balthasar his son, and may serve them many days, and may find favour in their sight.E affinchè il Signore dia a noi fortezza, e dia luce agli occhi nostri, onde all'ombra viviamo di Nabuchodonosor re di Babilonia e all'ombra di Balthasar suo figliuolo, e ad essi serviamo lungamente, e troviamo grazia davanti ad essi.and that our Lord geue vs strength, and illuminate our eyes, that we may liue vnder the shadow of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and vnder the shadow of Balthasar his sonne, and may serue them manie dayes, and may find grace in their sight.et ut det Dominus virtutem nobis, et illuminet oculos nostros, ut vivamus sub umbra Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis, et sub umbra Baltassar filii ejus, et serviamus eis multis diebus, et inveniamus gratiam in conspectu eorum. 13And pray ye for us to the Lord our God: for we have sinned against the Lord our God, and his wrath is not turned away from us even to this day.E per noi pure pregate il Signore Dio nostro; perché noi abbiamo peccato contro il Signore Dio nostro, e non si è allontanato il suo furore da noi uno a' questo giorno.And for our selues pray ye to the Lord our God: because we haue sinned to the Lord our God, and his furie is not turned away from vs euen to this day.Et pro nobis ipsis orate ad Dominum Deum nostrum, quia peccavimus Domino Deo nostro, et non est aversus furor ejus a nobis usque in hunc diem.
14And read ye this book, which we have sent to you to be read in the temple of the Lord, on feasts, and proper days.E leggete questo libro, che abbiamo mandato a voi, perché sia recitato nel tempio del Signore in giorno solenne, e in giorno opportuno,And read ye this booke, which we haue sent to you to be recited in the temple of our Lord, in a solemne day, and in a day couenient.Et legite librum istum quem misimus ad vos recitari in templo Domini, in die solemni et in die opportuno: 15And you shall say: To the Lord our God belongeth justice, but to us confusion of our face: as it is come to pass at this day to all Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,E voi direte: Al Signore Dio nostro la giustizia, e a noi la confusione del nostro volto, come avviene in questo dì a tutto Giuda, e agli abitanti di Gerusalemme,And you shal say: To the Lord our God iustice: but to vs confusion of our face: as is this day to al Iuda, and them that dwel in Ierusalem,et dicetis: Domino Deo nostro justitia, / nobis autem confusio faciei nostræ, / sicut est dies hæc omni Juda, / et habitantibus in Jerusalem: 16To our kings, and to our princes, and to our priests, and to our prophets, and to our fathers.A' nostri regi, e a' nostri principi, e a' nostri sacerdoti, e a' nostri profeti, e a' padri nostri:to our kinges, and to our princes, and to our priests, and to our prophetes, and to our fathers.regibus nostris, et principibus nostris, / et sacerdotibus nostris, et prophetis nostris, / et patribus nostris. 17We have sinned before the Lord our God, and have not believed him, nor put our trust in him:Abbiam peccato dinanzi al Signore Dio nostro, e non abbiamo creduto, non avendo fidanza in lui:We haue sinned before the Lord our God, and beleued him not, hauing diffidence in him:Peccavimus ante Dominum Deum nostrum, / et non credidimus, diffidentes in eum: 18And we were not obedient to him, and we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his commandments which he hath given us.E non siamo stati soggetti a lui, e non abbiamo ascoltata la voce del Signore Dio nostro per camminare secondò li suoi precetti, ch'ei diede a noi,and we would not be made subiect to him, and we haue not heard the voice of the Lord our God, to walke in his commandments, which he hath geuen vs.et non fuimus subjectibiles illi, / et non audivimus vocem Domini Dei nostri, / ut ambularemus in mandatis ejus, quæ dedit nobis. 19From the day that he brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, we were disobedient to the Lord our God: and going astray we turned away from hearing his voice.Dal giorno, in cui trasse i padri nostri dalla terra di Egitto fino a questa di, noi eravamo increduli al Signore Dio nostro, e imprudentemente ci ritirammo dall'udir la sua voce.From the day, that he brought our fathers out of the Land of Aegypt, euen to this day, we would not be brought to beleue the Lord our God: and dissipated we reuolted, that we might not heare his voice.A die qua eduxit patres nostros de terra Ægypti, / usque ad diem hanc, / eramus incredibiles ad Dominum Deum nostrum: / et dissipati recessimus, ne audiremus vocem ipsius:
20And many evils have cleaved to us, and the curses which the Lord foretold by Moses his servant: who brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt, to give us a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day.E ci si attaccarono molti mali, e maledizioni predetti dal Signore a Mosè suo servo, il quale condusse dalla terra d'Egitto i padri nostri per dare a noi una terra, che scorrea latte, e miele come oggi apparisce.And manie euils and maledictions haue clouen to vs, which our Lord appoynted to Moyses his seruant: who brought our fathers out of the Land of Aegypt, to geue vs a land flowing with milke and honie, as at this present day.et adhæserunt nobis multa mala et maledictiones / quæ constituit Dominus Moysi servo suo, / qui eduxit patres nostros de terra Ægypti, / dare nobis terram fluentem lac et mel, sicut hodierna die. 21And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God according to all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us:Mai noi non ascoltammo la voce del Signor Dio nostro, secondo quel, che dicevano i profeti, ch'ei ci mandò:And we haue not heard the voice of the Lord our God according to al the wordes of the prophets, which he hath sent to vs:Et non audivimus vocem Domini Dei nostri, / secundum omnia verba prophetarum quos misit ad nos: 22And we have gone away every man after the inclinations of his own wicked heart, to serve strange gods, and to do evil in the sight of the Lord our God.E andammo dietro ognuno di noi alle inclinazioni del cuore nostro malvagio, a servire agli dei stranieri, malecose facendo davanti agli occhi del Signore Dio nostro.and we haue gone away euerie man into the sense of our malignant hart, to serue strange goddes, doing euils before the eyes of the Lord our God.et abivimus unusquisque in sensum cordis nostri maligni, / operari diis alienis, / facientes mala ante oculos Domini Dei nostri.
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Year of the World about 3404, Year before Christ 600.
Calmet
Babylonia. Septuagint, "Babylon," where Jechonias was in prison, (Haydock) now the 5th year, ver. 2. Baruch accompanied his brother Saraias, Jeremias 51:59. (Calmet)
Houbigant
Cappellus supposes that the author confounded them together, which is not probable. (Houbigant)
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Calmet
Month, in which the king was taken. (Calmet)
Haydock
This was the fifth anniversary. (Haydock)
Usher
Fire: but soon extinguished. (Usher)
Calmet
The taking of the city was effected at intervals, (Haydock) during eleven years, in the fifth of which this book was written. Jerusalem was at last reduced to ashes. As yet there were priests, a temple, etc., ver. 7, 14. (Worthington) (Calmet)
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Houbigant
Jechonias. He was in prison, where the Jews met to hear the words of Jeremias; (li. 59., etc.; Calmet) or the king might hear the letter in private. (Houbigant)
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Calmet
Sodi. Hebrew zud, (Haydock) means "pride," and probably denotes the great river Euphrates. (Calmet)
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Calmet
Joakim, or Eliacim, high priest under Manasses, etc., Isaias 22:20. (Calmet)
Houbigant
The text only says that he was priest, and Cappellus asserts there was no pontiff then. (Houbigant)
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Menochius
Siven; a Syriac month, corresponding with our May. (Menochius)
Haydock
Vessels; or, "the vessels were of silver." (Haydock)
Calmet
By retrenching a, which, it would seem that they asked for the golden vessels. Sedecias had made silver ones to supply their place. These also might have been taken away. (Calmet)
Haydock
Baltassar had still those of gold, (Daniel 5:2.; Menochius) or at least some of them. (Haydock)
Houbigant
Sedecias, now in favour, only asked for what he had made while a private man. (Houbigant)
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Calmet
All. Cunctos should be vinclos, according to the Greek, "prisoners." (Calmet)
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Calmet
Meat. Literally, "manna," as Septuagint express Hebrew monee; (Haydock) or as it is pointed, mincha; which properly means an "oblation" (Jeremias 17:26.; Menochius) of bread, wine, etc. (Calmet)
And offerings. Literally, "offer."
Haydock
Greek has for sin before frankincense. (Haydock)
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Calmet
Baltassar. Evilmerodac, his elder brother, was in disgrace. (Lyranus) (Jeremias 52:31.) (Calmet)
Haydock
Heaven, as long and prosperous as possible. (Haydock)
Calmet
It was a customary salutation to say, O king, live for ever, Daniel 2:4., and Psalm 88:30. (Calmet)
Houbigant
Cappellus says Baltassar was not yet born. But how does he know this? It might be the title of the heir apparent, (Haydock) or of the king's sons. We need not decide in a point of such antiquity. (Houbigant)
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Calmet
Eyes, putting an end to our captivity, (Badwell) or causing us to detest our sins. (Calmet)
Haydock
Days. This they knew was God's decree, and they submit. (Haydock)
Worthington
They prefer serving the Chaldeans before other foreign nations. (Worthington)
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Calmet
Proper festival days. (Calmet)
Hebrew mohed, or muad. They were still observed (Haydock) in the temple.
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Calmet
Curses against transgressors, Leviticus xxvi., and Daniel 9:11. (Calmet)
Haydock
Day. We feel the effects of sin. The land of Juda was not flourishing, though not yet laid waste. (Haydock)
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Calmet
Serve, or sacrifice unto: (Sanctius) operata Deo: (Tibul.) or to worship, Baruch 2:21. (Calmet)
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The whole time of taking Ieru alem indured eleuen yeares before it was burned. In the fifth yeare of which space this boke was written For as yet there were Priestes in Ierusalem: v. 7. some holie vessels, v. 8. the Altar, v 10. and the temple, v. 1•.
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or, manah sacrifice.
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Seing it was Gods wil they should be in captiuity, they desired rather to be vnder the Chaldees then anie other foreine nation.
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corrupted in iudgement.
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1. AND THESE WORDS. — The particle and corresponds to the Hebrew vau, which is not always copulative, but sometimes inceptive: hence from vau, that is from and, the book of Ezekiel begins, the book of I Maccabees, the books of II Esdras, and others: although Maldonatus thinks the particle and couples the book with its title, which is the Prophecy of Baruch.
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2. In the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month (of the first Nisan), IN TIME (that is from the time: for thus the Hebrew beth, that is in, is often taken for min, that is from) when the Chaldeans began to take Jerusalem, and BURNED IT. — Because indeed this destruction was most famous, hence from it the Jews began to number their years, and in it they established a new chronological era, just as they now mark their own era in the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, and from it number their years. Thus Theodoret, Hugo, Lyra, Torniellus and others. Otherwise Vatablus and a Castro connect and explain these things thus: "On the seventh day of the month," namely of that month, "in time," that is at which time "the Chaldeans began to take Jerusalem," that is at the time of the fifth month, as if to say: On the same day and month in which Jerusalem was captured (but in another year, namely the fifth later), Baruch wrote this book, so that from this commemoration and circumstance of time, he might move the people more vehemently to compassion and laments. This sense is not incongruous; the former, however, seems more solid, and that one ought not to be excluded by the second: for "in the fifth year" depends on "in the time when the Chaldeans began to take Jerusalem"; for how else shall we begin and number this year? Baruch plainly wishes to say that he wrote this book in the fifth year after Jerusalem was captured and burned. Hence it is clear that he wrote these things not before, but after Jerusalem was overthrown: Maldonatus denies this, who takes "in time" generally, as if to say: In that season, that age or period in which Jerusalem was captured, so that the name "time" refers not to a point, but to the whole time of captivity, as if to say: In the fifth year of captivity, numbering and beginning it from that time when Jeconiah was led to Babylon: for at that time captivity began. Therefore in the fifth year after Jeconiah was captured, and six years before the city and temple were overthrown, Baruch wrote this book, and read it to the captives in Babylon. Maldonatus proves this from the fact that the altar still stood at that time, as is clear from chapter I, 10; therefore also the temple. Second, from the fact that this book was read to Jeconiah, not to Sedecias, to whom likewise it would have been read, if these things had been written after the destruction of the city and the captivity of Sedecias. But the former opinion is clearer and truer, and Baruch sufficiently hints at it in what follows, as when he says in chapter II, 2 and 3: "There have been made in Jerusalem evils, which have not been made under heaven, so that a man would eat the flesh of his son, and the flesh of his daughter." For this happened in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, not before. Again in verse 26, he mourns the destruction of the temple: but that was overthrown together with the city. To the first I answer, that after the destruction there was an altar, not a temple, concerning which more in verse 10. To the second, this was read to Jeconiah, not to Sedecias: because Sedecias had rebelled against the Chaldeans, and therefore was captured and blinded and thrust into prison, without any hope of return or kingdom; but Jeconiah, because he had surrendered himself to the Chaldeans, was dear to them: hence Evil-merodach exalted him to the throne. In Jeconiah, therefore, the hopes of the Jews were placed, and not in vain: for Zorobabel, the grandson of Jeconiah, led the Jews out of Babylon back to Judea.
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3. TO THE EARS OF JECONIAH, etc., AND THE PEOPLE COMING TO THE BOOK, — who gathered to hear this book. Note: Although Jeconiah was captive in Babylon, yet because he had voluntarily surrendered himself to Nebuchadnezzar; hence he permitted him to live in free custody, as is customary for captive princes, from which he could sometimes go out to certain limits, especially accompanied by soldiers guarding him. For it was now the sixteenth year of captivity; gradually therefore greater freedom was given to him, as also to the rest of the Jews, who accordingly here in verse 4 are said to have dwelt in Babylon, by the river Sodi. You will say: In IV Kings XXV, 27, it is said that Jeconiah was in prison until the reign of Evil-merodach. I answer: Prison there is called the free custody already mentioned; thus Paul was in prison in Rome, of whom nevertheless Luke says in Acts XXVIII, 16: "It was permitted to Paul to remain by himself with a soldier guarding him." And verse 30: "And he remained two whole years in his own hired dwelling; and he received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God:" "hired dwelling," namely lodging, that is a house rented. This house still exists, and was shown to me in Rome, which from of old has been converted into a church, and is called the Diaconia of the Blessed Mary: it is situated on the Via Lata near our College. That place was most spacious and in a most celebrated location of the city: for Paul sought such a place not for himself, but for Luke and his other companions (whom he had many; for he alone was not sufficient for converting, indeed addressing so many thousands of men), and for the Romans, so that he might spread the faith of Christ more among them, and preach the Gospel to all, as St. Jerome teaches in his epistle to Philemon, verse 22.
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4. OF THE SONS OF KINGS. — Thus are called the princes of royal blood when Jeconiah was captured, Daniel I, 3.
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6. Each person's hand, — that is to say, according to each one's ability.
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7. AND THEY SENT TO JERUSALEM TO JOAKIM. — Torniellus conjectures that this Joakim is the same as Eliacim, of whom Isaias chapter XXII, 20 and following speaks. For each was the son of Helcias, and in Hebrew Joakim is the same as Eliacim, as is evident from Judith IV, 5, compared with Judith XV, 9, and because Isaias makes mention of certain vessels which appear to be those which are here said to have been sent to Joakim. Torniellus adds that this Joakim was the father or uncle of Saraias. For Helcias begot Azarias, Azarias begot Saraias, who with his son Josedec was led captive by the Chaldaeans, IV Kings, last chapter, 18. Since therefore the rest were carried away into Babylon, it appears that this Joakim, on account of his old age, was left in Jerusalem with Godolias, and for the same reason after the death of Godolias, he was not able to flee with the rest into Egypt, but remained in Jerusalem with a few others. Be that as it may, it is sufficiently established that Joakim was the chief of the priests who remained in Jerusalem: for this reason money is sent to him here. TO THE PRIESTS, AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE, — Namely to the few priests and laymen who remained in Jerusalem, or from the neighboring nations to which they had fled, or from Egypt (fearing its ruin predicted by Jeremias) had returned to Jerusalem. Thus Lyra.
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8. When he received, — namely Joakim the priest, says Maldonatus, who returning with Sedecias from Babylon received there the vessels which had been taken from the temple, to be brought back to Jerusalem: not indeed the same ones, nor golden ones (for these Nabuchodonosor had taken and kept for himself and Balthasar, Daniel V, 2), but silver ones, which Sedecias had caused to be made in Babylon in their place. But these vessels were sent to Joakim in Jerusalem, as is here said: therefore Joakim could not receive them in Babylon; I say therefore, "when he received," namely Baruch himself, of whom verses 1 and 3 speak. For Baruch directed all these things in the name of the people: hence he himself sent back these temple vessels which the richer Jews had redeemed from the Chaldaeans at a price to Jerusalem. Thus Vatablus. TO RESTORE, — to restore and return them, or so that these vessels might be restored and returned to Jerusalem. ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE MONTH SIVAN. — Sivan corresponds to our May.
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9. After he had taken. — Refer these words to the immediately preceding passage, "the silver vessels which Sedecias made," that is to say, Baruch sent to Jerusalem the silver vessels which Sedecias made, in place of the golden ones which the Chaldaeans had taken: made, I say, at the beginning of his reign, when namely after Jeconiah was captured and carried away by Nabuchodonosor he was created king.
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10. And they said, — namely Jeconiah, the princes, the elders, and the people of the Jews captive in Babylon, "said," that is wrote those things which follow to their fellow citizens in Jerusalem, in Greek it is εἶπεν, that is said, that is wrote, namely Baruch in the name of all the Jews captive in Babylon. MAKE AN OFFERING. — Note that "offering" is not taken here for the manna which rained in the desert, nor for medicinal manna, but is a Hebrew and Chaldaean word. For in Hebrew מן man, and in Chaldaean מנו manna, is the same as part, gift, oblation. Secondly and more truly, manna is the same as מנחה mincha, that is an oblation properly so called. For the Septuagint for mincha sometimes translate and write manaa, or manna, as is evident from Jeremias XVII, 26, and Daniel II, 46; see what is said there. Our translator therefore, following the Septuagint, translated mincha as manna. Thus St. Jerome, or rather Rabanus in chapter XVII of Jeremias, Vatablus, Maldonatus and others. Now the sense is, that is to say, From the holocausts and incense already mentioned make an oblation to God. For incense, which they always placed upon holocausts, signifies that these are offered to God, who is in heaven above. OFFER (victims) FOR SIN. — For these in Hebrew are called חטא chatta, in Greek ἁμαρτία, that is sins, by metonymy, as I said in Leviticus IV. TO THE ALTAR OF THE LORD OUR GOD. — Although the temple had already been burned by the Chaldaeans, and the altar overthrown, nevertheless the Jews erected an altar in the ruins of the temple with slight work, so that they might have public exercise of their religion, in which they sacrificed: just as they had an altar before the temple and tabernacle were built, in which they sacrificed, as is evident from Exodus XXIV, 4. Thus Lyra. That this is so is sufficiently gathered from Jeremias XII, 5, as I said there. Therefore what is said in Daniel III, 38: "There is not in this time, etc., a holocaust, nor a sacrifice, nor an oblation, nor incense, nor a place of first fruits," understand public and solemn, such as was in the temple. You will say: In I Esdras III, 3, it is said that Esdras after his return from Babylon, under Artaxerxes, built an altar in Jerusalem; therefore there was none before. I answer by denying the consequence: for there was an altar before, but a vile, temporary and worthless one; Esdras however, having received power from the king, having assembled Jews from everywhere, erected a large and splendid one with great solemnity.
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11. PRAY FOR THE LIFE OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR. — Note here the remarkable piety of the captive Jews, who command that God be entreated for an impious tyrant and destroyer of the kingdom of Judah, and that sacrifices be offered to him. God had commanded this to them through Jeremiah XXIX, 7: "Seek, He says, the peace of the city, to which I have caused you to be carried away captives: and pray for it to the Lord; because in the peace thereof shall be peace to you." For God had determined to leave them in Babylon for 70 years for the expiation of their sins, so that they would be subject there and serve the Chaldeans. Hence St. Paul commands that prayers be made for kings and princes, who were then pagans, I Timothy II, 1 and 2; I have reviewed the reasons there. The same was done by Christians in the first centuries of the Church, as is evident from Tertullian in the Apology. And for the life of Belshazzar. — Belshazzar is here reckoned as it were the firstborn of Nebuchadnezzar, and as about to succeed him in the kingdom. Therefore this Belshazzar was either the elder brother of Evil-merodach, who dying prematurely before his father, left his brother Evil-merodach as heir to the kingdom; or rather this Belshazzar was the same as Evil-merodach, whom it is established from IV Kings, final chapter, verse 27, succeeded Nebuchadnezzar in the kingdom; so that he himself had two names, and was called both Belshazzar and Evil-merodach, who was the last king of the Chaldeans, under whom Babylon was captured. See what is said at Daniel V, 1, and Jeremiah XXVII, 7. AS THE DAYS OF HEAVEN, — that is, may their days be long and of great length, so that they may live as long as heaven endures. Secondly, may they be tranquil, constant and most happy, just as the life of the heavenly beings is tranquil, constant and most happy. It is a hyperbole. Thus Seneca says: "While the aged stars of the world run bright." Thus it is said of Solomon, Psalm LXXXVIII, 30: "And I will make his seed to endure for ever: and his throne as the days of heaven," that is to say, May Solomon live and reign for a very long time, and so if it were possible, we would wish for him a kingdom always enduring and perpetual, just as the heavens endure perpetually, and that constantly in the same always manner, mode and order; whereas the elements and elemental things change, are born, grow, grow old, rise, set every day. Thus Seneca sings in Hercules Oetaeus: No old age shall snatch you from the earth: You shall be companion to Phoebus, you shall go companion to the stars.
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12. MAY THE LORD GIVE STRENGTH (in Greek ἰσχύν, that is, fortitude, vigor) TO US, — to endure the hardships of captivity. AND LET HIM ENLIGHTEN OUR EYES, — not to know our sins, as Theodoret wishes, but so that He may suffuse us with light, that is, with prosperity and joy. For light is a symbol and cause of prosperity and joy, just as darkness is of adversity and sadness. Thus Job says in chapter XVII, verse 12: "After darkness I hope for light." And Jeremiah, Lamentations III, 2: "He hath led me into darkness, and not into light." Secondly, "let Him enlighten our eyes," so that namely we may see what things we ought to do, what things to avoid, how we ought to live carefully and religiously among barbarians, how we ought to deal prudently and decently with the Chaldeans. UNDER THE SHADOW, — under the protection and guardianship, and benevolence and grace of Nebuchadnezzar: for they desire the favor of the king, so that God may render him benevolent to them: for all their happiness and prosperity depended on this. Let us serve them, — rather than other crueler and more impious kings: otherwise indeed they absolutely desired to be freed from their servitude and dominion, as much as from that of others.
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14. In the opportune day. — In Greek, καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις καιρῶν, and in the days of time, which the Hebrews call בימי מועד bime moed, that is, in the solemn days, on which the people are accustomed to assemble and gather together.
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15. To the Lord our God belongs justice. — Hence begins the book, that is, the writing, of Jeremiah or Baruch; moreover it begins with a prayer, which lasts from this verse through the entire second chapter, up to verse 8 of chapter III, in which first, he humbly confesses the sins of the people, and that it is justly punished with captivity. Then he beseeches and impels God to mercy by many arguments. Daniel took his prayer from this, chapter IX, 19. TO OUR GOD BELONGS JUSTICE, — namely let it be ascribed and attributed to Him, that is to say, "All things which Thou hast done to us, Thou hast done in true judgment," Daniel III, 31. The same says Daniel, chapter IX, verse 7: "To Thee, O Lord, justice: but to us confusion of face," that is to say, Thou, O Lord, art worthy of the praise of justice and just vengeance of crimes; we of ignominy: because we are justly punished by Thee, as guilty. AS THIS DAY IS, — that is, up to this present day. OUR PROPHETS, — not only false ones, but also true ones, namely Ezekiel, Daniel, Baruch, just and innocent men, there comes upon them the confusion and reproach of captivity, not on account of their own sins, but on account of the common sins of the people, of which they were a part; and this was done for the good of the people, so that namely they might teach and console it in captivity. Thus Hugo and Lyra.
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17. We have sinned. — In Greek ἡμάρτομεν, that is, concerning those things which we have sinned, as if to say, The confusion of our sins (for these matters pertain to that) covers and overwhelms our face, that is, we are punished by this shameful and ignominious captivity, so that we are a reproach to the whole world, and we are confounded and blush before all nations, because we have sinned against the Lord. Thus Vatablus, Maldonatus and others. Most excellently St. Augustine in the Sentences, sent. 72: "He is right, he says, and calls upon God well, who in all the evils which he suffers, accuses himself, not God; and in the good things which he does, does not praise himself, but God. For just as God repels one defending his sins, so he receives one confessing them." And Sent. 83: "True humility of the faithful is, to be proud in nothing, to murmur at nothing, nor to be ungrateful, nor querulous; but in all God's judgments to give thanks to God, and to praise God, whose all works are either just or benign." And Sent. 88: "One does not approach the height of God, except through humility; the submissive one draws near to him, the proud one recedes far from him." And Sent. 118: "Better is humble confession in evil deeds, than proud boasting in good deeds." DIFFIDENT IN HIM, — that is, either he would not, or could not free us from the Chaldeans. Whence, abandoning God, we fled to the aid of the Egyptians, and therefore God abandoned us, and delivered us to the Chaldeans.
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18. AND WE WERE NOT SUBMISSIVE TO HIM. — We were not subject to him; or properly "submissive," that is, ready and prepared to be subject to him in all things. For the rest see Daniel IX, 10.
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19. Incredulous. — ἀπειθοῦντες, that is, unbelieving, rebellious, stubborn. SCATTERED (dispersed through various idols and sins) WE DEPARTED, THAT WE MIGHT NOT HEAR HIS VOICE. — In Greek it is ἐρραθυμοῦμεν, that is, we were light-minded, from time to time, tumultuously, heedlessly, we acted lightly like children, who at the flight of a fly turn their head and heart; thus the slightest occasion distracted us, "that we might not hear the voice of the Lord." Theodotion translates it ἐπενοοῦμεν, that is, we devised, namely other and other kinds of sins. Note the word departed. For, as St. Augustine says, Sentence 63: "It is a great misery of man, not to be with him, without whom he cannot be. For he is indeed in him, without doubt without him he is not; and yet if he does not remember him, and does not understand him, nor love him, he is not with him."
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20. AND (that is, therefore; for it corresponds to the Hebrew vau, which is often not copulative, but causal, signifying therefore, for this reason) MANY EVILS HAVE CLEAVED TO US. — Note the word cleaved, as if to say, So tenaciously like glue do our calamities cleave to us, that we cannot extricate ourselves from them. See Jeremiah XLII, 16. WHICH THE LORD APPOINTED TO MOSES, — which the Lord threatened to us through Moses, Deuteronomy XXVIII and XXVIII. AS THIS DAY, — supply, we see, or it is plain. See what was said on verse 15.
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21. AND (that is, because: see what was said on verse 20) WE DID NOT HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD.
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22. AND WE WENT AWAY EACH ONE INTO THE INCLINATION OF OUR OWN HEART, — we followed our little senses, our sensual desires. TO WORK (that is, to sacrifice, or rather to serve) OTHER GODS. — Concerning which more in the following chapter, verses 21 and 22.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
1:1
… assured him of special protection (Jer. 45:5). After the murder of Gedaliah (v.), he followed Jeremiah into Egypt (Jer. 43:6). It seems that he ended his days among the exiles of Babylon, where he was on the fifth anniversary of the fall of Jerusalem (Bar. 1:1-2). On that date (581 B.C.), he composed his brief writing, which he then read in the presence of Jeconiah, penultimate king of Judah, and of the nobles and the people, then exiles by …
1:2
… in the fifth year of imprisonment, the prophet Baruch read his prophecy to the imprisoned king and to the other exiles in Babylon, who listened to it moved and sent offerings to Jerusalem, imploring prayers for King Nebuchadnezzar and for themselves (Bar. 1:2-13).
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.