What does Baruch Chapter 4 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Law and confession precede Jerusalem’s captive-child lament. Patience and renewed seeking accompany promises of return. A particular enemy’s punishment precedes an eastward gathering vision.

Chapter breakdown

Baruch 4 identifies the book as God's commandments and enduring law: keeping it brings life and abandoning it death. Jacob is called back toward its light and warned not to give honor to another; Israel is happy to know what pleases God. Sale to Gentiles is distinguished from destruction. Sacrifice to devils, forgetfulness of God and grief to nurturing Jerusalem precede the city's lament over children sent away captive, whom she raised in joy and sent in tears.

Jerusalem speaks as a widow, desolate through children's sins and disregard of law, truth and justice. A distant, wicked nation of strange language lacks respect for elders and pity for children. The city asks what help she can give and directs hope to the God who brought these evils and can deliver. Alone, she removes the robe of peace and puts on supplication's sackcloth, crying throughout her days. Patience beneath wrath accompanies hope of deliverance from princes, enduring mercy and a joyful return honored by God. The promised reversal includes getting upon the enemy's neck, rough ways, remembrance by the afflicting God and a call to seek him ten times more.

Jerusalem is comforted by announced punishment of afflicters and cities served by her children. The edition identifies the particular rejoicing city with Babylon. Its joy becomes mourning, enduring fire and a dwelling of devils for a great time; this must not become eternal desolation. Looking east, Jerusalem is told to see children gathered from east and west by the holy one's word, rejoicing in God's honor. Repentance is urged without an invented mechanical guarantee for every sufferer.

The story inside

Opening: Law and confession precede Jerusalem’s captive-child lament. Development: Patience and renewed seeking accompany promises of return. Conclusion: A particular enemy’s punishment precedes an eastward gathering vision.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Law and confession precede Jerusalem’s captive-child lament.
2
Patience and renewed seeking accompany promises of return.
3
A particular enemy’s punishment precedes an eastward gathering vision.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 90836–90844
4:1. This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law, that is for ever: all they that keep it, shall come to life: but they that have forsaken it, to death. 4:2. Return, O Jacob, and take hold of it, walk in the way by its brightness, in the presence of the light thereof. 4:3. Give not thy honour to another, nor thy dignity to a strange nation.
Lines 90851–90859
4:6. You have been sold to the Gentiles, not for your destruction: but because you provoked God to wrath, you are delivered to your adversaries. 4:7. For you have provoked him who made you, the eternal God, offering sacrifice to devils, and not to God. 4:8. For you have forgotten God, who brought you up, and you have grieved Jerusalem that nursed you.
Lines 90871–90887
4:12. Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and desolate: I am forsaken of many for the sins of my children, because they departed from the law of God. 4:13. And they have not known his justices, nor walked by the ways of God’s commandments, neither have they entered by the paths of his truth and justice. 4:14. Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them. 4:15. For he hath brought a nation upon them from afar, a wicked nation, and of a strange tongue: 4:16. Who have neither reverenced the ancient, nor pitied children, and have carried away the beloved of the widow, and have left me all alone without children.
Lines 90896–90907
4:20. I have put off the robe of peace, and have put upon me the sackcloth of supplication, and I will cry to the most High in my days. 4:21. Be of good comfort, my children, cry to the Lord, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the princes your enemies. 4:22. For my hope is in the Eternal that he will save you: and joy is come upon me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall come to you from our everlasting Saviour. 4:23. For I sent you forth with mourning and weeping: but the Lord will bring you back to me with joy and gladness for ever.
Lines 90923–90927
4:28. For as it was your mind to go astray from God; so when you return again you shall seek him ten times as much. 4:29. For he that hath brought evils upon you, shall bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation.
Lines 90932–90938
4:31. The wicked that have afflicted thee, shall perish: and they that have rejoiced at thy ruin, shall be punished. 4:32. The cities which thy children have served, shall be punished: and she that received thy sons. She that received, etc.... viz., Babylon.