Reading Jeremiah with Baruch

There has been substantial discussion regarding the dependency of Baruch on Jeremiah (so Tov 1976). As part of the Jeremianic additions, Baruch has been seen merely to appropriate Jeremianic material and not provide a unique reading (so Moore 1977). This paper seeks to re-evaluate Baruch’s use and reading of Jeremiah in order to show the literary creativity of the author(s). Investigating the final form of Baruch, I argue that Baruch provides a distinctive reading of Jeremiah, one based in Second Temple Judaism, and that this reading is shaped by melding passages from Jeremiah with other books of Jewish Scripture. This is particularly seen in Baruch’s introduction and penitential prayer sections. Overall, Baruch offers a unique reading of Jeremiah that both adopts and adapts the Jeremianic text and provides a new avenue of approach for future interpretation