spring streaming from beneath its roots Lut tl e spring grew into a mighty river, and over\ lielme 1 tlie forest, to^'ether with the mountams lounl about. A solitary cedar was left. The sticam first addressed words of denunciation against tl e cedar, and then anniliilated it. In the jlace of forest and mountains the vine grew, and the \ illej was filled with blossoms (35-37). The inter] leta tion of the vision is given as requested by 1 i ] The kingdoms which have oppressed Zion 1 11 1 overwhelmed by t lie Messiah. The ce Hi i 1 1 last king of the last kin''dom ; he shall be la 1 the Messiah, who shall then begin His eteii al reign (38-40). Baruch is commanded to wain tl e people and prepare himself for furthei \isious (41 43), which lie accordingly does (44-46).— (o) Ihe fifth section (47-52) also opens with a prayer of Baruch's offered seven days later (47-48-^). In answer Baruch receives a new revelation regarding the distress of the last days (48^"*), and of the re- surrection both of the evil and the good, together with their punishment and reward (49-52).— (6) The sixth section (53-76) is again in the form of a vision. A cloud ascends from the sea, and pours forth upon the earth black and white (dark and bright) waters. Lightning illumines it, and twelve streams are put in subjection under it (53). Baruch prays that it may be explained to him (54), and the angel Ramael is sent to him to interpret the vision (55). The cloud pouring forth the waters represents mankind in its historical unfolding ; the dark waters stand for evil ages, the bright for good. The course of the worltl from Adam to the Exile is thus sym- Ixilized. The twelve periods are identified with the bright and dark streams (56-68). The twelfth Is the age of the rebuilding of Jerusalem and of the restoration of the Temple service. These twelve are followed by a last black stream, which stands for the tribulation of the Messianic age. Then shall the Messiah take iharge of the few saved ones (69-71). Tin- lij^htiiiii;^ is the Messiah, and His eternal bent-lircut ri-i;.:n (72-74). Baruch thanks God, and is infuriued that he will siiortly be taken from the earth, though not by death (75, 76).— (7) The seventh .section tells how Barueli called the people together, told them of his im- pending departure, wrote two letters, one to the exiles in Baljylou and the other to the nine and a
half tribes in the regions beyond, and how he sent the first by messengers and entrusted the second to an eagle (77).
Part II. This part of the book is taken up with the letter to the nine tribes and a half (78-87). In it Baruch recalls to the minds of the tribes God's mercy, and assures thorn that their sufferings are intended for tlieir good (78-81). God has shown Baruch in visions the meaning of their experiences an 1 tl e loo u of then enemies (S> 84) they should tlerefoie le mdismayed and expect peely de I f tl p end 1 neai (8o) The letter then
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7. The Greek Barnch.— A hint as to the exist enee of another book bearing the name Baruch was long known to exist in a passage of Origen (Je Princ. II. iii. 6), in which lie alludes to Baruch's account of the Seven Heavens. No such account is to be found either in the OT apocryphon or in tlie Syriac apocalypse bearing the name of Baruch. But it was nut until 1896 that the book alluded to by Origen was discovered and published in Texts ami Studies {Ca,mh. vol. v. 1, pjj. 84-94).
Contents. — The book opens with Baruch's lamen- tation and prayer over the fallen kingdom of Judali. Forthwith an angel visits him and promises to show h im wonderful secrets ( 1 ). The promise is fulfilled. He is taken up into the first heaven, where he sees oreatui-es with the face of bulls, the horns of stags, the feet of goats, and the haunches of lambs ; lie then inquires as to the dimensions of this heaven, and is ijiven some astoundintj figures (2). In the second heaven he sees men with the look of dogs and the feet of deer. They are those who have counselled the building of the tower [of Babel] (3). In the third heaven he sees a dragon which lives on the bodies of the wicked ; it is Hades. He further learns that the tri'i- which i Mu^ed Adam's fall was the vine, and tlincfniv tl,,. :,l.iise of the fruit of the vine has ever mh. .■ Ii. i n lii^. source of fearful evils to men (4). II.- i^ i.il,| d,,. nature of Hades (0), and is ^hi.Hii ih.- i'liMuix, which pro- tei-ts the earth fruia lli.- Iiiiuiiii- ];.\ - of the sun (6). The approach of thi,-, ninn-i - i Li i ilics him (7). He learns that the ren.-«in;^ ..1 I lie .nnvn of the sun is necessary, because the view of the sins of men daily