---
title: "The Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch)"
author: "Baruch (attributed)"
translator: "R. H. Charles"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Hidden books"
section: 5 of 12
url: https://scriptura.si/works/apocalypse-of-baruch/5/
cite: "Baruch (attributed), tr. R. H. Charles, The Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch), section 5. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/apocalypse-of-baruch/5/"
---

# The Apocalypse of Baruch (2 Baruch)

*Baruch (attributed), tr. R. H. Charles*

The Syriac Baruch: angels fire Jerusalem before the enemy enters, and the seer mourns in the ruins.

## 5. The vision of the forest, the vine and the cedar (chapters 35–46)

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/apocalypse-of-baruch/5/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/apocalypse-of-baruch/5/#p-N

### Chapter 35

[¶1] 1 And I, Baruch, went to the holy place, and sat down upon the ruins and wept, and said:

[¶2] 2 “O that mine eyes were springs, And ye, mine eyelids a fount of tears.

[¶3] 3 For how shall I lament for Zion, And how shall I mourn for Jerusalem?

[¶4] 4 For in that place where I am now prostrate; The high priest of old offered holy sacrifices, And placed thereon incense of fragrant odours.

[¶5] 5 But now our glorying hath been made into dust, And the desire of our soul into sand,”

### Chapter 36

[¶7] 1 And when I had said these things I fell asleep there, and I saw a vision in the night. 2 And lo! a forest of trees planted on the plain, and lofty and rugged rocky mountains surrounded it, and that forest occupied much space. 3 And lo! over against it arose a vine, and from under it there went forth a fountain peacefully. 4 Now that fountain came to the forest and was (stirred) into great waves, and those waves submerged that forest, and suddenly they rooted out the greater part of that forest, and overthrew all the mountains which were round about it. 5 And the height of the forest began to be made low, and the top of the mountains was made low, and that fountain prevailed greatly, so that it left nothing of that great forest save one cedar only. 6 Also when it had cast it down and had destroyed and rooted out the greater part oi that forest, so that nothing was left of it, nor could its place be recognised, then that vine began to come with the fountain in peace and great tranquillity, and it came to a place which was not far from the cedar, and they brought the cedar which had been cast down to it. 7 And I beheld and lo! that vine opened its mouth and spake and said to that cedar: “Art thou not that cedar which was left of the forest of wickedness, and by whose means wickedness persisted, and was wrought all those years, and goodness never? 8 And thou didst keep conquering that which was not thine, and to that which was thine thou didst never show compassion, and thou didst keep extending thy power over those who were far from thee, and those who drew nigh thee thou didst hold fast in the toils of thy wickedness, and thou didst uplift thyself always as one that could not be rooted out! 9 But now thy time hath sped and thine hour is come. 10 Do thou also, therefore, depart, O cedar, after the forest, which departed before thee, and become dust with it, and let your ashes be mingled together. 11 And now recline in anguish and rest in torment till thy last time come, in which thou shall come again, and be tormented still more.”

### Chapter 37

[¶9] 1 And after these things I saw that cedar burning, and the vine growing, itself and all around it, (but) the plain full of unfading flowers. And I, indeed, awoke and arose.

### Chapter 38

[¶11] 1 And I prayed and said: “O Lord, my -Lord, Thou dost always enlighten those who are led by understanding. 2 Thy Law is life, and Thy wisdom is right guidance. 3 Make known to me, therefore, the interpretation of this vision. 4 For Thou knowest that my soul hath always walked in Thy Law, and from my (earliest) days I departed not from Thy wisdom.”

### Chapter 39

[¶13] 1 And He answered and said unto me: “Baruch, this is the interpretation of the vision which thou hast seen. 2 As thou hast seen a great forest which lofty and rugged mountains surrounded, this is the word. 3 Behold! the days come, and this kingdom shall be destroyed which once destroyed Zion, and it shall be subjected to that which cometh after it. 4 Moreover, that also, again, after a time shall be destroyed, and another, a third, shall arise; and that also shall have dominion for its time, and shall be destroyed. 5 And after these things a fourth kingdom shall arise, whose power shall be harsh and evil far beyond those which were before it, and it shall rule many times as the forests on the plain, and it shall hold fast the times, and shall exalt itself more than the cedars of Lebanon. 6 And by it the truth shall be hidden, and all those who are polluted with iniquity shall flee to it, as evil beasts flee and creep into the forest. 7 And it shall come to pass when the time of his consummation that he should fall hath approached, then the principate of My Messiah shall be revealed, which is like the fountain and the vine; and when it is revealed it shall root out the multitude of its host. 8 And as touching that which thou hast seen, the lofty cedar, which was left of that forest, and the fact that the vine spoke those words with it which thou didst hear, this is the word:

### Chapter 40

[¶15] 1 The last leader of that time shall be left alive, when the multitude of his hosts shall be put to the sword, and he shall be bound, and they shall take him up to Mount Zion, and My Messiah shall convict him of all his impieties, and shall gather and set before him all the works of his hosts. 2 And afterwards he shall put him to death, and protect the rest of My people which shall be found in the place which I have chosen. 3 And his principate shall stand for ever, until the world of corruption is at an end, and until the times aforesaid are fulfilled. 4 This is thy vision, and this is its interpretation.”

### Chapter 41

[¶17] 1 And I answered and said: “To whom and for many shall these things be? Or who will be worthy to live at that time? 2 For I will speak before Thee everything that I think, and I will ask of Thee regarding those things which I meditate. 3 For lo! I see many of Thy people who have withdrawn from Thy covenant, and cast from them the yoke of Thy Law. 4 But others, again, I have seen who have forsaken their vanity, and fled for refuge beneath Thy wings. 5 What, therefore, shall be to them? Or how shall the last time receive them? 6 Or perhaps the time of these shall assuredly be weighed, and as the beam inclineth shall they be judged accordingly?”

### Chapter 42

[¶19] 1 And He answered and said unto me:

[¶20] “These things also I will show unto thee. 2 As for what thou didst say: ‘To whom shall these things be, and how many (shall they be)?’ — to those who have believed there shall be the good which was spoken of aforetime, and to those who despise there shall be the contrary of these things. 3 And as for what thou didst say regarding those who have drawn near and those who have withdrawn, this is the word: 4 As for those who were before subject, and afterwards withdrew and mingled themselves with the seed of mingled peoples, the time of these was the former, and was accounted as something exalted. 5 And as for those who before knew not, but afterwards knew life, and mingled (only) with the seed of the people which had separated itself, the time of these (is) the latter, and is accounted as something exalted. 6 And time shall succeed to time and season to season, and one shall receive from another, and then with a view to the consummation shall everything be compared according to the measure, of the times and the hours of the seasons. 7 For corruption shall take those that belong to it, and life those that belong to it. 8 And the dust shall be called, and there shall be said to it: ‘Give back that which is not thine, and raise up all that thou hast kept until its time.’

### Chapter 43

[¶22] 1 “But, do thou, Baruch, direct thy heart for that which hath been said to thee, And understand those things which have been shown to thee; For there are many eternal consolations for thee. 2 For thou shalt depart from this place, And thou shalt pass from the regions which are now seen by thee, And thou shalt forget whatever is corruptible, And shalt not again recall those things which happen among mortals.

[¶23] 3 Go therefore and command thy people, and come to this place, and afterwards fast seven days, and then I will come to thee and speak with thee.”

### Chapter 44

[¶25] 1 And I, Baruch, went from thence, and came to my people, and I called my first-born son and [the Gedaliahs] my friends, and seven of the elders of the people, and I said unto them:

[¶26] 2 “Behold, I go unto my fathers According to the way of all the earth.

[¶27] 3 But withdraw ye not from the way of the Law, But guard and admonish the people which remain, Lest they withdraw from the commandments of the Mighty One.

[¶28] 4 For ye see that He Whom we serve is just, And our Creator is no respecter of persons.

[¶29] 5 And ye see what hath befallen Zion, And what hath happened to Jerusalem.

[¶30] 6 For the judgement of the Mighty One shall (thereby) be made known, And His ways, which, though past finding out, are right.

[¶31] 7 For if ye endure and persevere in His fear, And do not forget His Law, The times shall change over you for good, And ye shall see the consolation of Zion.

[¶32] 8 Because whatever is now is nothing, But that which shall be is very great.

[¶33] 9 For everything that is corruptible shall pass away, And everything that dieth shall depart, And all the present time shall be forgotten, Nor shall there be any remembrance of the present time, which is defiled with evils. 10 For that which runneth now runneth unto vanity, And that which prospereth shall quickly fall and be humiliated.

[¶34] 11 For that which is to be shall be the object of desire, And on that which shall come afterwards do we place our hope; For it is a time that shall not pass away.

[¶35] 12 And the hour cometh which shall abide for ever, And the new world (cometh) which doth not turn to corruption those who depart to its blessedness, And hath no mercy on those who depart to torment, And shall not lead to perdition those who live in it.

[¶36] 13 For these are they who shall inherit that time which hath been spoken of, And theirs is the inheritance of the promised time.

[¶37] 14 These are they who have acquired for themselves treasures of wisdom, And with them are found stores of understanding, And from mercy have they not withdrawn, And the truth of the Law have they preserved.

[¶38] 15 For to them shall be given the world to come. But the dwelling of the rest, who are many, shall be in the fire.

### Chapter 45

[¶40] 1 “Do ye, therefore, so far as ye are able, instruct the people, for that labour is yours. 2 For if ye teach them, ye will quicken them.”

### Chapter 46

[¶42] 1 And my son and the elders of the people answered and said unto me:

[¶43] “Hath the Mighty One humiliated us to such a degree As to take thee from us quickly?

[¶44] 2 And truly we shall be in darkness, And there will be no light to the people who are left.

[¶45] 3 For where again shall we seek the Law, Or who will distinguish for us between death and life?”

[¶46] 4 And I said unto them: “The throne of the Mighty One I cannot resist: Nevertheless, there shall not be wanting to Israel a wise man, Nor a son of the Law to the race of Jacob.

[¶47] 5 But only prepare ye your hearts, that ye may obey the Law, And be subject to those who in fear are wise and understanding; And prepare your soul that ye may not depart from them.

[¶48] 6 For if ye do these things, Good tidings shall come unto you [which I before told you of; nor will ye fall into the torment, of which I testified to you before.” 7 But with regard to the word that I was to be taken, I did not make (it) known to them or to my son].