1The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch served as Jeremiah’s faithful friend and scribe, and he carefully recorded the prophecies given to Jeremiah by God. He was from a prominent family and his grandfather Maaseiah had been governor of Jerusalem in the days of King Josiah (2 Chr 34:8).Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,

2“Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch:

3‘You said, “Woe is me! For the Lord has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning and sighing and I find no rest.” ’

4Say this to him, ‘The Lord speaks in this way, “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and that which I have planted I will uproot, that is, the whole land.”

5And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring disaster on all flesh,’ says the Lord, ‘but I will give your life to you [as your only reward and] as a prize of war wherever you go.’ ”