Chapter 45

1 Baruch being dismayed, 4 Jeremiah instructeth and comforteth him.

1. Baruch. An insight into the character of Jeremiah’s faithful scribe is given in this chapter (see p. 343).

Fourth year of Jehoiakim. According to this date, ch. 45 follows ch. 36 (see ch. 36:4; see on ch. 36:1).

3. Woe is me now! With Jeremiah in prison, and the king and his counselors giving no heed to the prophet’s messages, Baruch became despondent. His ambition to hold a position of importance in a revived Jewish state (v. 5) seemed dashed in view of the apparent failure of Jeremiah’s endeavors. The prophet could enter into a sympathetic understanding of his secretary’s feelings and so help him, for he, too, had experienced bitter disappointments (chs. 15:10–21; 20:7–18). Baruch, like all men, needed to learn to expect the bitter along with the sweet, failure as well as prosperity (see Job 2:10).

5. Seek them not. No earthly success could be as important to Baruch as the work God desired him to do. Each one has a place in God’s great plan which only he can fill.

Thy life will I give. God comforts Baruch, the scribe, with the promise that He will be merciful to him. In marked contrast with the divine vengeance and retribution that would descend upon the “whole land” of Judea (v. 4) and the evil that would come “upon all flesh” by reason of the Babylonian invasion (2 Kings 25), Baruch’s life would be protected by God. Most of those whose success and position Baruch envied would have no such assurance, but would perish miserably in the destruction of Jerusalem.

For a prey. See on ch. 39:18.

In all places. These words seemingly indicate that Baruch’s future would be one of wandering and exile. We do know that he went down to Egypt (see ch. 43:5–7). Tradition has it that he died either in Egypt or in Babylon.

Ellen G. White comments

5    MH 476