Baruch 2
2:1 “So the Lord made good on1 his word which he had spoken concerning us, concerning our judges who pass judgment on Israel, concerning our kings, concerning our rulers, and concerning the people2 of Israel and Judah. 2:2 Nothing was done under the entire heaven comparable to what he did in Jerusalem,3 in keeping with4 the things written in the law of Moses. 2:3 Certain individuals among us5 consumed6 the flesh of their own sons and certain others the flesh of their own daughters.7 2:4 The Lord8 delivered9 them into the hands of all the kings who were all around us, so that we would become a reproach and a waste land among all the people who were all around us, where the Lord had scattered us.10 2:5 They were debased and not exalted,11 because we had sinned against the Lord our God, in that we paid no attention to his voice.
Prayers of the Community
2:6 “Righteousness belongs to the Lord our God, but shame of face belongs to us and to our ancestors, to this very day. 2:7 All these misfortunes that the Lord pronounced12 upon us have come upon us. 2:8 But we have not entreated the Lord’s favor13 by each individual turning from the intentions of his evil heart. 2:9 The Lord has watched over14 the misfortunes, and he15 has brought them upon us, for the Lord is righteous with regard to all his works that he has instructed us to do.16 2:10 Yet we have not listened to his voice to live by17 the commandments of the Lord, which he set18 before us.
2:11 “So now, O Lord God of Israel, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand and with signs and wonders and with great power and by your exalted arm, having established19 for yourself a name, even till this very day, 2:12 we have sinned, we have committed sacrilege, and we have behaved unrighteously with regard to all your righteous ordinances, O Lord our God! 2:13 May your wrath be turned away from us, for we have been reduced to few in number among the nations where you have scattered us. 2:14 Hear, O Lord, our prayer and petition20 and rescue us for your own sake. Grant us favor in the presence of those who are opposing us, 2:15 so that all the earth may know that you are the Lord our God, for your name is identified with21 Israel and his descendants.
2:16 “O Lord, look down from your holy temple and have regard for us. Incline your ear, O Lord, and listen. 2:17 Open your eyes and look! For it is not those in Hades who have died, whose spirit has been taken from their physical frames,22 who will render glory and justice to the Lord.23 2:18 Rather, it is the individual24 who is extremely sorrowful,25 who proceeds with head bowed low in weakened condition, with failing eyesight and impoverished soul, who will render glory and righteousness, O Lord.
2:19 “For it is not due to any righteous acts of our ancestors or our kings that we are presenting our plea for mercy26 before you, O Lord our God.27 2:20 For you have sent your angry wrath28 upon us, just as you said you would29 through30 your servants the prophets, saying, 2:21 “Thus says the Lord, ‘Make your shoulders to stoop,31 and go to work for32 the king of Babylon, and sit in the land that I gave to your ancestors. 2:22 If you won’t listen to the voice of the Lord to go to work for the king of Babylon,
2:23 In the cities of Judah and outside33 Jerusalem I will bring an end
to the sound34 of gladness and to the sound of joyfulness,
to the voice of the bridegroom and to the voice of the bride.
All the land will be barren and uninhabited.35
2:24 But we have not listened to your voice, to work for the king of Babylon. You therefore have fulfilled36 your words, which you spoke through37 your servants the prophets, to bring the bones of our kings and the bones of our ancestors back from the place where they were deposited.38 2:25 Now look! Their bones39 have been thrown out in the heat of the day and the frost of the night. They died in terrible pain, by famine, by sword, and by plague.40 2:26 And the temple over which your name is called you have reduced41 to what it is today because of the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
2:27 “But you have dealt with us according to all your gentleness and according to all your great mercy, O Lord our God. 2:28 Just as you indicated42 through43 your servant Moses on the day that you instructed him to write your law before the Israelites,44 saying,45 2:29 ‘If you will not obey46 my voice, this great buzzing crowd47 will return to being small in number among the nations where I will scatter them. 2:30 For I know that they will definitely not listen to me, for they are a stiff-necked people. However, they will come to their senses48 in the land for their captivity. 2:31 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God. I will give them a responsive49 heart and ears that pay attention.50 2:32 They will praise me in the land of their captivity, and they will be mindful of my name. 2:33 They will turn away from their rebelliousness51 and from their evil deeds, for they will remember the way of their ancestors who sinned before the Lord. 2:34 And I shall return them to the land which I swore to their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they will have control52 over it. I will multiply them, and they will not be diminished. 2:35 I will establish with them an everlasting covenant, so that I will be their God and they will be my people. I will not again remove my people Israel from the land which I gave to them.’