Who is…
Baruch

Meaning: blessed

This is the name of 3 Biblical men.

  1. Baruch ben Neriah, the secretary and aide of the prophet Jeremiah

    Hebrew: ברוך בן נריה —transliteration: Baruḵ ben Neriyah

    See: Jeremiah 32:12; 36:4

    He is a son of Neriah and is thus called “Baruch ben Neriah.” Neriah means “My Candle is Jah.” Baruch is of the tribe of Judah (Jer. 51:59).

    To him, Jeremiah dictated his prophecies regarding the invasion of the Babylonians and the Captivity. These he read to the people from a window in the temple in the 4th year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah (Jeremiah 36).

    He afterwards read them before the counselors of the king at a private interview; and then to the king himself, who, after hearing a part of the roll, cut it with a penknife, and threw it into the fire of his winter parlour, where he was sitting.

    During the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, he was the keeper of the deed of purchase Jeremiah had made of the territory of Hanameel (Jeremiah 32:12).

    Being accused by his enemies of favoring the Chaldeans, he was cast, with Jeremiah, into prison, where he remained till the capture of Jerusalem (586 BC). He probably died in Babylon.

    The 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia states that “Baruch’s tomb is a mile distant from that of Ezekiel, near Mashhad 'Ali.”

    Q & A

  2. Baruch, son of Zabbai

    See: Nehemiah 3:20; 10:6

    He was one of Nehemiah’s helpers in repairing the destroyed walls of Jerusalem at the time of the building of the 2nd Temple.

    Q & A

  3. Baruch, son Colhozeh (Col-Hozeh)

    Baruch is the father of Maaseiah (Nehemiah 11:5) and a member of the Tribe of Judah who settled in Jerusalem.

    Q & A
Article Version: August 4, 2021