And it came to pass in the twenty-fifth year of Jeconiah, king of Judah, that the word of the Lord came to Baruch, the son of Neriah, and said to him: 'Have you seen all that this people are doing to Me, that the evils which these two tribes which remained have done are greater than (those of) the ten tribes which were carried away captive? For the former tribes were forced by their kings to commit sin, but these two of themselves have been forcing and compelling their kings to commit sin. For this reason, behold I bring evil upon this city, and upon its inhabitants, and it shall be removed from before Me for a time, and I will scatter this people among the Gentiles that they may do good to the Gentiles. And My people shall be chastened, and the time shall come when they will seek for the prosperity of their times.
Chapter 2
For I have said these things to you that you may bid Jeremiah, and all those that are like you, to retire from this city. For your works are to this city as a firm pillar, And your prayers as a strong wall.'
Chapter 3
And I said: 'O LORD, my Lord, have I come into the world for this purpose that I might see the evils of my mother? Not (so) my Lord. If I have found grace in Your sight, first take my spirit that I may go to my fathers and not behold the destruction of my mother. For two things vehemently constrain me: for I cannot resist you, and my soul, moreover, cannot behold the evils of my mother. But one thing I will say in Your presence, O Lord. What, therefore, will there be after these things? for if you destroy Your city, and deliver up Your land to those that hate us, how shall the name of Israel be again remembered? Or how shall one speak of Your praises? or to whom shall that which is in Your law be explained? Or shall the world return to its nature of aforetime), and the age revert to primeval silence? And shall the multitude of souls be taken away, and the nature of man not again be named? And where is all that which you did say regarding us?'
Chapter 4
And the Lord said unto me:
'This city shall be delivered up for a time, And the people shall be chastened during a time, And the world will not be given over to oblivion.
4:2-7. The heavenly Jerusalem [Dost you think that this is that city of which I said: "On the palms of My hands have I graven you"? This building now built in your midst is not that which is revealed with Me, that which prepared beforehand here from the time when I took counsel to make Paradise, and showed Adam before he sinned, but when he transgressed the commandment it was removed from him, as also Paradise. And after these things I showed it to My servant Abraham by night among the portions of the victims. And again also I showed it to Moses on Mount Sinai when I showed to the likeness of the tabernacle and all its vessels. And now, behold, it is preserved with Me, as Paradise. Go, therefore, and do as I command you.']
5. Baruch's Complaint and God's Reassurance
Chapter 5
And I answered and said:
'So then I am destined to grieve for Zion, For your enemies will come to this place and pollute Your sanctuary, And lead your inheritance into captivity, And make themselves masters of those whom you have loved, And they will depart again to the place of their idols, And will boast before them: And what will you do for Your great name?' And the Lord said unto me:
'My name and My glory are unto all eternity; And My judgment shall maintain its right in its own time. And you shall see with your eyes That the enemy will not overthrow Zion, Nor shall they burn Jerusalem, But be the ministers of the Judge for the time. But do you go and do whatsoever I have said unto you. And I went and took Jeremiah, and Adu, and Seriah, and Jabish, and Gedaliah, and all the honorable men of the people, and I led them to the valley of Kidron, and I narrated to them all that had been said to me. And they lifted up their voice, and they all wept. And we sat there and fasted until the evening.
6-8. Invasion of the Chaldeans and their Entrance into the City after the Sacred Vessels were hidden and the City's Walls overthrown by Angels
Chapter 6