Original Word: בָּרוּךְ
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Baruwk
Pronunciation: bah-ROOK
Phonetic Spelling: (baw-rook')
KJV: Baruch
NASB: Baruch
Word Origin: [passive participle from H1288 (בָּרַך - blessed)]

1. blessed
2. Baruk, the name of three Israelites

Baruch

Passive participle from barak; blessed; Baruk, the name of three Israelites -- Baruch.

see HEBREW barak

Word Origin
pass. part. from barak
Definition
"blessed," three Isr.
NASB Translation
Baruch (26).

בָּרוּךְ proper name, masculine (blessed)

1 friend and amanuensis of Jeremiah Jeremiah 32:12,13,16; Jeremiah 36:4-32; Jeremiah 43:3,6; Jeremiah 45:1,2.

2 a priest, son of Zabbai (Zaccai) Nehemiah 3:20; Nehemiah 10:7.

3 son of Colhozeh, of the tribe of Judah Nehemiah 11:5.

Overview of the Name

Baruch, “blessed,” is the personal name that appears about twenty-six times in the Hebrew Scriptures. The occurrences cluster around two distinct historical settings: (1) the waning days of the kingdom of Judah, where Baruch son of Neriah served the prophet Jeremiah, and (2) the post-exilic community recorded in Ezra-Nehemiah. These two settings frame the name with themes of faithfulness amid national crisis and diligent service during rebuilding.

Principal Old Testament Figure: Baruch Son of Neriah

Baruch son of Neriah, of a prominent family in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32:12), is first introduced as Jeremiah’s scribe. His ministry spans the final decades before Jerusalem’s fall (circa 605-586 BC) and extends into the remnant community after the destruction of the city.

1. Scribe and Secretary
• Jeremiah 36:4: “Jeremiah summoned Baruch son of Neriah, and at Jeremiah’s dictation Baruch wrote on a scroll all the words that the LORD had spoken to Jeremiah.”

Baruch’s immediate obedience forged an enduring partnership that preserved Jeremiah’s oracles. The scroll was publicly read in the Temple (Jeremiah 36:10) and later revised and expanded after King Jehoiakim burned the first copy (Jeremiah 36:27-32). Thus Baruch stands at the fountainhead of the Book of Jeremiah’s textual history.

2. Legal Witness
• Jeremiah 32:12-13 describes Baruch as a legal witness in Jeremiah’s land-purchase deed in Anathoth. That act, carried out while Babylon’s armies besieged Jerusalem, was a sign that “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (Jeremiah 32:15). Baruch thereby testified to the prophet’s message of future restoration.

3. Confidant in Perilous Times

After Jerusalem fell, Baruch remained with Jeremiah. He is named among those forced to go to Egypt (Jeremiah 43:6). Tradition identifies him as the editor who organized Jeremiah’s corpus and perhaps the author of the narrative framework (Jeremiah 36; 45; 51:59-64).

God’s Personal Word to Baruch (Jeremiah 45)

Chapter 45 records a private word from the LORD, delivered through Jeremiah, addressing Baruch’s discouragement:

“Are you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all flesh … but wherever you go, I will grant you your life as a prize of war” (Jeremiah 45:5).

This message highlights:

• The cost of discipleship: solidarity with God’s Word may require relinquishing personal ambition.
• Divine care: God singles out faithful servants, assuring them of protection even amid widespread judgment.
• A pattern for ministry: Baruch’s example counsels modern servants to prize fidelity over prominence.

Baruch and the Preservation of Scripture

Baruch illustrates the Spirit’s use of human agency to transmit revelation. His pen turned spoken prophecy into enduring text; his zeal safeguarded the scroll against royal suppression; his editorial skill likely shaped the canonical form. By divine providence, Baruch’s labor allowed later generations—including believers today—to read the inspired words of Jeremiah. The episode underscores the doctrine of verbal preservation without detracting from human instrumentality.

Faith amid Political Pressure

Baruch’s name surfaces in accusations of treason. The leaders charged Jeremiah, “Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you to surrender to the Chaldeans” (Jeremiah 43:3). Association with the prophet brought social hostility, yet Baruch persisted. His resilience models steadfastness when truth is dismissed as subversion.

Later Mentions in Jeremiah 51

Years after Jerusalem’s fall, Jeremiah entrusted Baruch’s brother Seraiah with a prophetic scroll against Babylon (Jeremiah 51:59-64). The family’s ongoing involvement in prophetic proclamation suggests a household consecrated to God’s purposes.

Baruch in the Post-exilic Community

A distinct group of men named Baruch appears during Nehemiah’s governorship (circa 445-430 BC).

1. Builder of the Wall
• Nehemiah 3:20: “Baruch son of Zabbai zealously repaired another section.”
• Nehemiah 3:30 records additional repairs. Baruch’s zeal is singled out, emphasizing wholehearted service in corporate reconstruction.

2. Covenant Signatory
• Nehemiah 10:6 lists Baruch among those sealing the renewed covenant, identifying him with spiritual reformation.

3. Resident and Levitical Association
• Nehemiah 11:5 and 12:26, 36 place men named Baruch among Jerusalem residents and Levitical choirs, portraying the name within worship and civil resettlement.

Though not the same person as Jeremiah’s scribe, these later Baruchs perpetuate the legacy of blessed commitment in a restored community.

Genealogical Notes

The Chronicler does not identify Baruch by name, but Ezra-Nehemiah situates multiple Baruchs within family registries that reinforce continuity between pre-exilic Israel and the returned exiles.

Theological Themes

1. Blessing and Obedience

The name Baruch (“blessed”) aligns with narratives that depict blessing linked to obedience rather than circumstance. Baruch receives divine commendation despite national catastrophe.

2. Word and Witness

Baruch embodies the synergy of proclamation (Jeremiah’s spoken word) and inscription (Baruch’s written record). Scripture’s integrity depends upon faithful witnesses who both hear and transmit.

3. Servant Leadership

Whether standing before princes (Jeremiah 36:14-19) or laying stones in Jerusalem’s wall (Nehemiah 3:20), Baruch exemplifies servant leadership that quietly advances God’s redemptive program.

Typological and Prophetic Dimensions

Baruch’s role prefigures later New Testament scribes and teachers who would compile apostolic testimony (for example, Luke 1:1-4). His assured “life as a prize” parallels promises given to faithful servants in times of tribulation (Revelation 3:10-12).

Lessons for Contemporary Ministry

• The pen is a ministry tool: accurate transcription and careful stewardship of God’s Word remain vital.
• Expect opposition: fidelity may attract slander, yet God defends His servants.
• Seek God’s commendation, not position: Jeremiah 45 cautions against self-promotion in ministry.
• Serve zealously in rebuilding: the post-exilic Baruchs challenge believers to labor enthusiastically in the work of restoration, whether physical or spiritual.

Representative Occurrences

Jeremiah 32:12; Jeremiah 36:4, 10, 32; Jeremiah 43:3; Jeremiah 45:1-5; Jeremiah 51:59-61; Nehemiah 3:20, 30; Nehemiah 10:6; Nehemiah 11:5; Nehemiah 12:26.

בָּר֔וּךְ בָּר֖וּךְ בָּר֗וּךְ בָּר֛וּךְ בָּר֜וּךְ בָּר֣וּךְ בָּר֥וּךְ בָּר֨וּךְ בָּרֽוּךְ׃ בָּרוּךְ֙ בָר֖וּךְ בָר֛וּךְ בָר֥וּךְ ברוך ברוך׃ bā·rūḵ ḇā·rūḵ baRuch bārūḵ ḇārūḵ vaRuchInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts