Focused Passage

Jeremiah 45:1-5

A Word for Baruch: Do Not Seek Great Things in a Day of Judgment

The chapter moves from the historical setting of Baruch writing Jeremiah's words, to Baruch's weary lament, to the LORD's explanation of widespread judgment, to the command not to seek great things, and finally to the promise that Baruch's life will be preserved wherever he goes.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 This is the word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch son of Neriah when he wrote these words on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah:

2 “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch:

3 You have said, ‘Woe is me because the LORD has added sorrow to my pain! I am worn out with groaning and have found no rest.’”

4 Thus Jeremiah was to say to Baruch: “This is what the LORD says: Throughout the land I will demolish what I have built and uproot what I have planted.

5 But as for you, do you seek great things for yourself? Stop seeking! For I will bring disaster on every living creature, declares the LORD, but wherever you go, I will grant your life as a spoil of war.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

This is the word הַדָּבָ֗ר H1697 Article | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֣הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular the prophet הַנָּבִ֔יא H5030 Article | Noun - masculine singular spoke דִּבֶּר֙ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Baruch בָּר֖וּךְ H1263 Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּֽן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Neriah נֵֽרִיָּ֑ה H5374 Noun - proper - masculine singular when he wrote בְּכָתְבוֹ֩ H3789 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker these הָאֵ֤לֶּה H428 Article | Pronoun - common plural words הַדְּבָרִ֨ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural on עַל־ H5921 Preposition a scroll סֵ֙פֶר֙ H5612 Noun - masculine singular at the dictation מִפִּ֣י H6310 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of Jeremiah יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ H3414 Noun - proper - masculine singular in the fourth הָֽרְבִעִ֔ית H7243 Article | Number - ordinal feminine singular year בַּשָּׁנָה֙ H8141 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular of Jehoiakim לִיהוֹיָקִ֧ים H3079 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular son בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct of Josiah יֹאשִׁיָּ֛הוּ H2977 Noun - proper - masculine singular king מֶ֥לֶךְ H4428 Noun - masculine singular construct of Judah יְהוּדָ֖ה H3063 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵאמֹֽר׃ס H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 2

Original words

This is what כֹּֽה־ H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular the God אֱלֹהֵ֣י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular says אָמַ֥ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular to you עָלֶ֖יךָ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular Baruch בָּרֽוּךְ׃ H1263 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 3

Original words

You have said אָמַ֙רְתָּ֙ H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular Woe is אֽוֹי־ H188 Interjection . . . נָ֣א H4994 Interjection me לִ֔י Preposition | first person common singular because כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has added יָסַ֧ף H3254 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular sorrow יָג֖וֹן H3015 Noun - masculine singular to עַל־ H5921 Preposition my pain מַכְאֹבִ֑י H4341 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular I am worn out יָגַ֙עְתִּי֙ H3021 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular with groaning בְּאַנְחָתִ֔י H585 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular and have found מָצָֽאתִי׃ס H4672 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular no לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle rest וּמְנוּחָ֖ה H4496 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

Thus כֹּ֣ה׀ H3541 Adverb [Jeremiah] was to say תֹּאמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular to [Baruch] אֵלָ֗יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular This is what כֹּ֚ה H3541 Adverb the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . הִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Interjection says אָמַ֣ר H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Throughout כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the land הָאָ֖רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular . . . הִֽיא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person feminine singular I אֲנִ֣י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular will demolish הֹרֵ֔ס H2040 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular what אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I have built בָּנִ֙יתִי֙ H1129 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and uproot נֹתֵ֑שׁ H5428 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular - וְאֵ֥ת H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker what אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I have planted נָטַ֖עְתִּי H5193 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֲנִ֣י H589 Pronoun - first person common singular - וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker

BSB notes

  • Literally Thus you shall say to him:
Verse 5

Original words

But as for you וְאַתָּ֛ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular do you seek תְּבַקֶּשׁ־ H1245 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular great things גְדֹל֖וֹת H1419 Adjective - feminine plural for yourself לְךָ֥ Preposition | second person masculine singular Stop אַל־ H408 Adverb seeking תְּבַקֵּ֑שׁ H1245 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular For כִּ֡י H3588 Conjunction . . . הִנְנִי֩ H2005 Interjection | first person common singular I will bring מֵבִ֨יא H935 Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular disaster רָעָ֤ה H7451 Adjective - feminine singular on עַל־ H5921 Preposition every כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct living creature בָּשָׂר֙ H1320 Noun - masculine singular declares נְאֻם־ H5002 Noun - masculine singular construct the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular but wherever כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . הַמְּקֹמ֖וֹת H4725 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you go תֵּֽלֶךְ־ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular I will grant וְנָתַתִּ֨י H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - לְךָ֤ Preposition | second person masculine singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker your life נַפְשְׁךָ֙ H5315 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular as a spoil of war לְשָׁלָ֔ל H7998 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular . . . עַ֥ל H5921 Preposition . . . שָֽׁם׃ס H8033 Adverb

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.